Vanna White may leave 'Wheel of Fortune' as she 'doesn't jibe' with co-host Ryan Seacrest, claims source
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Vanna White might not be enjoying her time co-hosting 'Wheel of Fortune'. This comes less than a month after Pat Sajak retired from the show. According to the Daily Mail, there are indications that White might also be leaving soon.
According to an insider, Vanna White, 67, doesn't "jibe" with Pat Sajak's replacement, TV host Ryan Seacrest, 49. The two have already filmed two episodes of 'Wheel of Fortune' for the upcoming season, which premieres in September. For context, Sajak and White worked together for 41 years. Earlier this month, White gave an emotional farewell to Sajak ahead of his final episode.
Vanna White doesn’t ‘jibe’ with her new co-host Ryan Seacrest
A source recently told the Daily Mail that Vanna White, who has been the game show’s letter-turner since 1982, is having a hard time without her former co-host, Pat Sajak. Sajak retired as host earlier this month after 41 seasons.
White’s contract runs until 2026, but an insider told the Daily Mail that “there is a part of her that wants to walk away sooner.”
"It is just so difficult to do this without Pat,” the source said.
They also claimed that White, 67, isn’t seeing eye-to-eye with new host Ryan Seacrest. "She just doesn’t jibe with Ryan like she did with Pat, and no one really ever expected her to,” the insider said. “There is just no way that she possibly could.”
However, a source close to Seacrest told The New York Post, “There is absolutely no truth to this story. Ryan and Vanna have started working together and have been having a lovely time on set."
Ryan Seacrest, 49, will officially take Pat Sajak's spot when 'Wheel of Fortune' returns in September for Season 42. Meanwhile, Vanna White extended her contract until the 2025–2026 season following a pay dispute. TMZ earlier claimed that White's contract included a "substantial pay increase."
"Vanna feels that she has put her time in,” the Daily Mail source said. “She devoted her entire life to this show and she had an incredible run while making a fortune.”
They continued, "She knows that the show needs to go in a different direction and appeal to a younger demographic. She wants the show to continue. This will require a younger female host, someone who can be to Ryan what she was to Pat.”
Vanna White on Pat Sajak's retirement
On June 7, 2023, Pat Sajak announced his departure from 'Wheel of Fortune', and this June he hosted his final episode of the show.
"When I first started, I was so green," White said. "You made me so comfortable and made me so confident, Pat."
She continued, "As the years have gone by, we've grown up on television, but we've also shared so much more behind the scenes. And as much fun as we had on camera, those memories, milestones and life events we shared with our families outside the studio are my favorite."
"What an incredible and unforgettable journey we've had. And I've enjoyed every minute of it with you," she said. "You're like a brother to me, and I consider you a true lifelong friend, who I will always adore. I love you, Pat," White further added.
Pat Sajak has been married to his wife Lesly Brown since 1989, and they have two children: daughter Maggie Sajak and son Patrick Michael James Sajak. Vanna White and her ex-husband George Santo Pietro are parents to two children: Nikko and Gigi Santo Pietro.
