Wheel of Fortune star Vanna White has revealed how long she plans to stay working on the popular gameshow following the imminent departure of her longtime cohost, Pat Sajak.
After news broke in June 2023 that Sajak, 77, would be retiring after hosting more than 7,500 editions since 1981, White, 67, has admitted that she also thought about leaving the show - but has since revealed she's not quite ready to say goodbye, and has signed a new two-year contract.
When asked how long she thinks she'll stick around during an interview with TV Insider, White replied: 'I don't know. 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,' she added, before admitting that she 'can't describe' how she feels about his retirement.
'I feel happy for him. I can't imagine doing the show without him after 41 years. I sum it up as [like] reading a good book, it always has to end. This has been the best book I've ever read,' the mother-of-two gushed.
Wheel of Fortune star Vanna White has revealed how long she plans to stay working on the popular gameshow
Vanna has admitted she thought about retiring after cohost Pat Sajak announced that he was leaving
Recalling her very first day on Wheel of Fortune in 1982, White said: 'I remember being extremely nervous. It was hard for me to even talk, my mouth was just shaking out of nerves because it was, "I can’t believe this is happening. I'm on a TV show."'
When asked what got her through it, she revealed: 'Pat. [He said,] "Calm down, it's going to be OK." I was just a little old girl from North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, wanting to be on TV from the time I was 10. He made me feel comfortable in front of a camera. He was my teacher.'
White went on to reveal her 'fondest memories of Pat' and said: 'I don't think there's anything [he and I] haven't talked about in 8,000 shows.
'We've traveled around the world together, we've watched our kids grow up together, we've thrown pies in each other's faces.
'He's so funny, I love him like a brother. Gosh, I've known him longer than I've known anybody, we will be friends forever.'
Sajak's final episode hosting Wheel of Fortune will air on June 7 before Ryan Seacrest takes over as host.
Seacrest, 49, recently opened up about his upcoming role as host of Wheel of Fortune, which will start in September, and will also see him serve as a consulting producer.
'Of course, being next to Vanna, she's a legend. She's an icon,' he told E! News when asked if he was looking forward to his new job.
Vanna and Pat have been working together on the show since the early 1980s
Vanna admits that it was Pat who made her feel 'comfortable in front of a camera' when she first joined the game show in 1982
Ryan Seacrest will be stepping into Pat's shows this September as the new host of Wheel of Fortune
'We spent a little shooting some promos for next season, and she's just so down to earth. She's exactly what you would expect.'
He continued: 'It's just so exciting to think about being on that set. I've watched the show for so many decades. I'm a fan of the show, and the game is the star.'
White also had nothing but nice things to say about her new cohost.
'He was just so kind and he goes, "No one's ever gonna replace Pat, I'm not trying to replace Pat. I'm just thrilled to be able to work with you and I'll do whatever it takes. Please teach me whatever I need to know," so that was really nice,' she said of Seacrest.