Legendary “Wheel of Fortune” host Vanna White knows the wheel will keep spinning without her, but she believes there's a reason the acclaimed game show still needs her.
White recently reminisced fondly and described the environment as “very energetic” as the game show enters a new era with Ryan Seacrest at the helm.
“And my role on the puzzle board has changed,” she said. parade“When we first started, we had to physically turn all the letters. Then they switched to TV monitors so you could just touch the letters and they would light up.”
Vana White believes “Wheel of Fortune” still needs her. (Christopher Willard via Getty Images)
White added, “The board is now laser-operated. It's like a flat screen. When I try to touch the letters, the laser captures my movements. Isn't that amazing?”
Ryan Seacrest's Wheel of Fortune promo sparks debate over show's future
The media raised the question, “If the letters light up automatically…''
“I'm telling you right now, don't say it. They need me!”
“I'm telling you now. Don't say it. They need me!” she replied quickly.
“Obviously they could do it without me now with all the electronics,” White said, but he believes she adds a personal touch to the matches that spectators enjoy seeing.
Vanna White and Pat Sajak hosted “Wheel of Fortune” together from 1982 to 2024. (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)
“But people love to see what I'm wearing,” White says. “I've worn over 8,000 outfits, so I think the audience loves to see if I'm wearing red or blue today. Is it going to be elegant or is it going to be short? My wardrobe is a big part of it.”
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Pat Sajak's final episode as host aired on June 7, nearly a year later. He made the announcement on June 12, 2023. He announced he was leaving the game show. The legendary host will return to “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” on October 7 for his final farewell.
Seacrest will have a major role as the new host of “Wheel.”
Ryan Seacrest replaced longtime host Pat Sajak. (Ryan Seacrest Instagram)
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“It is an incredible honor to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital last year. “Like all of America, it has been an honor and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna (White) on television for an unprecedented 40 years. I had a smile on my face every night and felt right at home in their company.”
“Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak and co-host Vanna White in 1982. (Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank)
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“Pat, I love the way you've always celebrated your contestants and made your viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning from you during this transition period,” he added.
Seacrest took over for the game show's 42nd season, which began on Sept. 9.
