- Vanna White told People that she “can’t imagine” the show continuing without her and Pat Sajak hosting.
- “We’ve been in everyone’s homes for 40 years,” he said.
- Sajak and White have hosted the game show together since 1982.
Vanna White isn’t planning on ending her run on the iconic “Wheel of Fortune” game show anytime soon, but every time she does, the legendary co-host wonders if she should continue without her and her on-screen partner Pat Sajak.
“I can’t imagine,” she recently told People of the show that goes on without her and Sajak. “Everyone associates the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ with Pat and Vanna. We’re like Ken and Barbie, you know?”
“We’ve been in everyone’s houses for 40 years,” he continued, “so it would be weird if someone else returned my letters.”
The game show launched in 1975 with Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford as original hosts. Sajak started in 1981 with White making his debut a year later. Since then, the duo have become the gold standard when it comes to game show hosts.
Vanna White and Pat Sajak have hosted “Wheel of Fortune” together for nearly 40 years.
Herb Ball/NBCU/Getty
“I think when Merv Griffin cast us both 40 and 41 years ago, he saw something between us: a brother-sister type of relationship,” White, 65, told People, referring to the show’s creator. “And I think that’s what it is. He saw that we could get along, and we do. We’re like a brother and sister team.”
Currently, “Wheel of Fortune” is the longest-running syndicated game show in the US. Sajak, 76, celebrated his 40th anniversary as the show’s host last year, making him the longest-running host on any game show, beating out Bob Barker on “The Price is Right.”
White, who is approaching her own 40th anniversary with the show, admitted that she also can’t imagine working on “Wheel” without Sajak.
“I don’t even want to think about it. I mean, we’re a team,” he said. “That’s depressing. I don’t even want to think about it.”
“I just visualize us being there,” he added. “I can’t think beyond that.”
