Vanna White, Maggie Sajak and Pat Sajak pose together on set of ABC’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’.Photo:Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty
Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty
Wheel of Fortunemay have a lot of changes ahead asPat Sajakfilms his final season as host of the game show, butVanna Whiteisn’t worried about what’s to come. In fact, she thinks she’ll be seeing a lot of the Sajak family in the years to come!
Maggie Sajak, daughter of the longtime co-host whoannounced in June that he’ll retire from his positionafter the show’s 41st season, joined theWheel Of Fortuneteam as a social media correspondent in 2021 and, according to White, she could have even more ahead of her.
“I think she’s a good replacement if I can’t be there for some reason,” the co-host toldE!of Maggie, 28. “She’s been around it her whole life, so I think she can fill in for me for sure.”
Maggie Sajak is the social media correspondent for ‘Wheel of Fortune’.Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty
She’s since become the show’s social media correspondent, andmade her hosting debut earlier this yearas she subbed in for White, 66, who competed on that episode.
“She’s precious, she’s beautiful, she’s very good,” the co-host raved of Pat’s daughter. “I think she learned a lot from her father because he’s such a good interviewer.”
White added, “I think she’s good for our show.”
Pat Sajak and Maggie Sajak on ‘Wheel of Fortune’.Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty
Though the news of her father’s impending retirement disappointed fans who have been watching him for more than four decades,White reflected on how far the pair have comesince they began hosting together.
“When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later?” she wrote in aposton X (formerly Twitter). “I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come.”
She added, “Cheers to you, @patsajak!”
Despite his departure from his on-air role, Pat, 76, is not totally abandoning the show.
In a statement to PEOPLE at the time of his retirement news, Suzanne Prete, the EVP of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, confirmed his career milestone, but also noted that he would serve as a consultant on the series for the next three years.
“As the host ofWheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years,” Prete said. “We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season. Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we’re thrilled to have him remaining close to theWheel of Fortunefamily!”
Longtime ‘Wheel of Fortune’ co-hosts Vanna White and Pat Sajak.Ricky Middlesworth/ABC via Getty
Ricky Middlesworth/ABC via Getty
In July,Ryan Seacrestwasannounced as Pat’s replacementand signed a multi-year deal that also makes him a producer of the show.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” Seacrest, 48, said in a statement. “Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition.”
In response, Pat wrote on Twitter that he’s “looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and thenhanding over the car keys to Ryan Seacrestin September of 2024.”
White willstay on and host alongside Seacrestthrough at least the 2025-26 season.
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Wheel of Fortuneairs weekdays at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
source: people.com
