Vanna White said recently that she pondered retirement when “Wheel of Fortune” co-star Pat Sajak announced he was leaving the game show last year.
After more than four decades as host, Sajak’s final episode with his letter-revealing colleague is scheduled to air June 7. He’s set to be replaced by Ryan Seacrest.
Regarding a two-year extension that White signed following contentious contract talks for the show, TV Insider asked her, “How long do you see yourself sticking around?”
“I don’t know,” White replied in an interview published Saturday. “When I heard that Pat was retiring, I thought maybe I should retire too. But I’m not ready! We’ll see toward the end of those two years how I feel. I thank God after all these years that I still love my job.”
White had reportedly threatened to quit if she didn’t receive a hefty raise that was closer to Sajak’s salary, signing a deal in 2023 to keep her on the job at least through the 2025-2026 season. That would cover two full seasons with Seacrest.
White, who has been at Sajak’s side since 1982 and hosted the show temporarily when he had surgery in 2019, has surprised even herself over her longevity on the game show.
“I never would have thought that this would turn into a 40-plus-year job,” she said to TV Insider. “I’m happy that I am myself [on the show]. I don’t play a character. I am who I am. It’s a fun show that everybody of all ages enjoys. We give money away!”
