'Wheel of Fortune': Will Pat Sajak's Daughter Maggie Replace Him as Host?
Pat Sajak is retiring from Wheel of Fortune, but hosting duties may be staying in the family. As Sajak prepares to step back from the game show, which he has hosted since taking over for Chuck Woolery in 1981, his daughter Maggie Sajak may be poised to step into her father's shoes.
Maggie, 28, is a Princeton University graduate who finished a Columbia University postgraduate program and studied law. While Maggie may have been a law student, Wheel of Fortune has been a staple throughout her life – she made her Wheel of Fortune debut when she was just 1, per the show's website – and something that has taken a more prominent role in her adult years. Reflecting on the impact of the game show on her life when speaking to WPVI in April, Maggie said that she "grew up on set and everyone on the set is sort of like a family to me already." She added, "My dad really is family, but being able to grow up on set and now, being a part of it in a professional way, it's a dream."
Maggie moved from daughter of the show's host and frequent on-set staple into a more hands-on role in 2021 when she joined Wheel of Fortune as the show's social correspondent, a role that involves taking fans behind the scenes on Instagram, YouTube, and other social media platforms. In her role, Maggie interviews players, celebrities, staff, and crew. She also gives fans sneak peeks at upcoming events. She has also taken over letter-turning duties on occasion, briefly taking over for Vanna White last month, and even co-hosted alongside White in January 2020 when her father was recovering from surgery, meaning she is well-versed in numerous roles of the show, something that could make her a shoo-in for the new host.
A shortlist of potential hosts has not been released at this time, and it is unclear when a new host will be confirmed. It is possible that Wheel of Fortune could follow in the footsteps of fellow game show Jeopardy! Following longtime host Alex Trebek's death in 2020, Jeopardy! invited a number of guest hosts onto the show over a months-long period, using the episodes as trial hosting gigs before eventually naming a new host.
Reacting to her father's upcoming retirement – Sajak is set to step back from the show after Wheel of Fortune Season 41 – Maggie said, "It's so much fun working with my dad...and we're looking forward to even more fun in Season 41."