Vanna White Has Sweet Message for Bob Barker Following His Death

Vanna White credits the late Bob Barker for introducing her “to the game show world!” Amid news of Barker’s death at the age of 99, White took to Instagram Sunday to pay tribute to the legendary host. She revealed that before she was the letter-turner on Wheel of Fortune, she met Barker when she was a contestant on The Price is Right, Barker’s long-running game show now hosted by Drew Carey.

“When I moved to LA in 1980, I was on Price Is Right and met Bob Barker,” White revealed as she shared a throwback photo of herself appearing on the show. “Thank you Bob for introducing me to the game show world! We will miss you.” While White has gone on to make a name for herself in the game show world, her performance on Price is Right was less than stellar. White never made it out of the infamous Bidders’ Row, as she continuously bid too high.

White’s special tribute came just a day after Barker’s longtime spokesman Roger Neal confirmed Saturday that the game show host died of natural causes at his Hollywood Hills home. In a statement shared with various outlets, Neal said on behalf of Barker’s girlfriend, Nancy Burnet, “It is with profound sadness that we announce that the World’s Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker, has left us.” Barker is survived by his half-brother Kent Valandra and half-nephews Robert Valandra and Chip Valandra, as well as a half-niece, Vickie Valandra Kelly.

“I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker, and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,” Burnet added in her own statement. “We were great friends over these 40 yrs. He will be missed.”

Born in Darrington, Washington in 1923, Barker spent many decades in show business, and he was best known as the long-time host of The Price is Right. Barker began hosting the beloved game show in 1972 and continued hosting for several decades before retiring in 2007. The 19-time Emmy award winner, who became executive producer of the series in 1988, went on to return to the show three times. Carey, who took over as permanent host in 2017, vowed in a special tribute to “carry his memory in my heart forever.” He added that “there hasn’t been a day on set that I didn’t think of Bob Barker and thank him.”