Vanna White Nearly Quit Wheel of Fortune With Pat Sajak — What Changed Her Mind

Vanna White says she seriously thought about walking off Wheel of Fortune when Pat Sajak did. After more than 40 years side by side, she had that instinct to make a clean break too. But after sitting with it, she decided to stick around a little longer.

The 40-year partnership and the fork in the road

In a new chat with E! News, White said that when Sajak announced his retirement, her first reaction was basically: maybe I should bow out with him. Not exactly a wild thought after four decades of doing the show together. Starting over with someone new at this point? That will give anyone pause.

"I am just not ready to retire yet. I am having fun, I feel good, and I feel healthy. So, at this point, it is one year at a time."

That is where she landed: keep doing it while it is still fun and she feels up for it, and reassess as she goes. When she does finally hang it up, she is not eyeing another TV gig. She says she does not think there is anything else on television she would rather do after this long run, and her retirement plan is refreshingly normal: play a lot of golf. (Also, if you forgot, she has popped up as an actress over the years, including an appearance on L.A. Law.)

Where the Wheel is now

• Wheel of Fortune started as a daytime show on NBC in 1975.
• The nighttime syndicated version debuted September 19, 1983, and that is the one most people simply call "Wheel."
• It has logged over 8,200 episodes, making it one of TV's longest-running game shows.
• Pat Sajak wrapped his hosting run in 2024 after roughly 40 years.
• Ryan Seacrest took over as host starting with the September 9, 2024 episode.
• Vanna White, who has been the face turning letters through all of this, nearly left with Sajak but chose to stay and take it year by year.