Vanna White paid tribute to her long-time colleague Pat Sajak ahead of his final edition of Wheel of Fortune after more than four decades at the helm of the popular game show, which airs on Friday.
White, 67, said in a clip on YouTube on Thursday: “I can’t believe tomorrow is our last show together.
“I don’t know how to put into words what the past 41 years have meant to me, but I’m going to try.”
The clip featured a montage of the tandem’s work on the program, which has spanned approximately 8,000 episodes since White joined the show in 1982, a year after Sajak.
“When I first started, I was so green,” White said. “You made me feel so comfortable and confident, Pat. You made me who I am, you really did.”
Vanna White, 67, paid tribute to her longtime colleague Pat Sajak, 77, ahead of his final edition of Wheel of Fortune after more than four decades at the helm of the popular game show, which airs on Friday.
White noted how she and 77-year-old Sajak have been family friends off-camera for the past four decades.
“As the years have gone by, we’ve grown up on television, but we’ve also shared so much more behind the scenes,” White said. “And as much fun as we had in front of the camera, the memories, milestones and life events we shared with our families outside the studio are my favorite.”
The video montage accompanying White’s tribute included footage of both their families.
White is mother of two children with ex-husband George Santo Pietro: son Nikko, 29, and daughter Giovanna, 26; while Sajak is father to son Patrick, 33, and daughter Maggie, 29, with wife Lesly Brown, 59.
White noted how she and Sajak have “watched our kids grow up together,” “traveled all over the world” and “ate hundreds of meals together” during their time working on the game show.
“We laughed, we cried, we celebrated,” White said. ‘Oh god, what an incredible and unforgettable trip we had. And I loved every minute with you.”
She continued, “As this chapter of our lives comes to an end, I know you will still be close. You are like a brother to me, and I consider you a true lifelong friend whom I will always adore. I love you, Pat.’
The tribute concluded with a clip of White blowing a kiss and hugging her longtime colleague.
The famous TV tandem’s time on the game show spanned approximately 8,000 episodes since White joined the show in 1982, a year after Sajak
White said in a clip Thursday: “I can’t believe tomorrow is our last show together.”
White noted that she and Sajak have been family friends off-camera for the past four decades
The TV personality said: ‘What an incredible and unforgettable journey we have had’
White joined the show in 1982, a year after Sajak began his tenure on the program
White noted how she and Sajak “traveled all over the world” during their time working on the game show
Sajak and longtime costar Vanna White have been on the game show since the 1980s
Sajak made the announcement in June 2023 on his Twitter page
A tweet last year from the game show confirmed the host’s impending departure from the series
Sajak announced the news of his departure from the show last June, tweeting, “Well, the time has come. I have decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.
“It’s been a wonderful ride and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Thank you very much to all of you. (If anything, it keeps the clickbait sites busy!)
A subsequent tweet from the long-running game show read: “Thank you to the best host in the business. Without you, Wheel of Fortune wouldn’t be what it is today, Pat. I look forward to Season 41 being better than ever!”
According to iMDb Thursday, Sajak has hosted 7,942 episodes of the series’ nightly edition from 1983 to 2024.
Sajak started hosting the daytime series in 1981 and left that edition to host his own late night series in 1989. The daily edition was canceled in 1991.
He has won three Daytime Emmys for his hosting efforts on the series, and in 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on the TV series.
White, a former 1978 Miss Georgia USA contestant, has played small roles and appeared as herself in films and TV. She will continue her duties on the show through at least the 2025-2026 season after signing a contract extension last fall, with Ryan Seacrest replacing Sajak as host.