‘Wheel of Fortune’: Vanna White Breaks Her Silence Over Pat Sajak’s Retirement Announcement

June 13, 2023, 12:51pm

LAS VEGAS, NV – APRIL 09: "Wheel of Fortune" hostess Vanna White walks onstage as she is inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame during the NAB Achievement in Broadcasting Dinner at Encore Las Vegas on April 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NAB Show, the trade show of the National Association of Broadcasters and the world's largest electronic media show, runs through April 12 and features more than 1,700 exhibitors and 102,000 attendees.

Pat Sajak announced his retirement from Wheel of Fortune on Monday, and on Tuesday his co-star Vanna White made her public response on Twitter. White wrote: “When we started Wheel of Fortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared this stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, Pat Sajak!”

White’s comment quoted Sajak’s original announcement within it where he revealed that he will retire from the iconic game show at the end of the upcoming season – Season 41. It begins airing in September, meaning that fans will still see Sajak for a few more months. According to a report by CNN, Sajak will still be involved with Wheel of Fortune after he leaves his hosting gig, but only behind the camera. He will take on the role of a consultant for at least three more years – indicating that he still has some time in his contract to fulfill.

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When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak! https://t.co/yYmo3G0Dtb
— Vanna White (@TheVannaWhite) June 13, 2023

For many fans, the partnership of Sajak and White is integral to Wheel of Fortune – not just one or the other of them. White joined the show in 1982 – the year after Sajak became the host of the daytime version of the game show. In 1983, they both launched the nighttime version of the show and have been at it ever since.

Of course, many fans are wondering if White will leave the show along with Sajak, but there has been no indication that she will so far. At 66 years old, White is about 10 years younger than Sajak and has experience hosting the show herself. She covered for Sajak a few times when he was away for medical reasons, so perhaps she will be in the running for the new permanent host.

Sajak shared the news of his retirement blithely on social media on Monday, writing: “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.” The news was later confirmed by the official Wheel of Fortune social media pages and TV executives who wished Sajak well.

Wheel of Fortune airs in syndication and is showing re-runs throughout the summer. Sajak’s final season will begin in September, but no date has been set yet.