In the weeks since Ryan Seacrest took over hosting the beloved game show Wheel of Fortune from the legendary Pat Sajak, he’s been hit with backlash from longtime fans.
As Seacrest continues to struggle to win over audiences, his co-host Vanna White is speaking out to reveal what she really thinks about his hosting skills.
Vanna’s Thoughts On Ryan
While many Americans may not like how Ryan, 49, is hosting the show, Vanna appears to enjoy working with him.
Or at least, that’s the public face she’s putting on!
“Ryan just stepped right in,” Vanna, 67, told Parade. “He did so much rehearsing and really cares about the show. Hopefully that’s what America sees.”
When asked how filming Wheel of Fortune with Ryan is going, Vanna replied, “It’s going well; it really is.”
“Ryan is a professional,” she continued. “We all know that he’s well-liked. He’s a kind person, he’s down-to-earth, and he’s hard-working. He’s doing a good job.”
After working with Pat, 77, for over 40 years, however, it still took some adjusting to co-host the show with Ryan.
“It was obviously very different after working with someone for 41 years,” Vanna admitted. “But I don’t compare the two. I just think of it as a new era, because we also have a new set and a new puzzle board. But I’m so happy that they hired Ryan because he does not want to replace Pat. He said, “I’m here to just do a good job.”
Vanna’s History With Ryan
Fans may be surprised to learn that Ryan and Vanna have actually known one another for decades.
“He and I met about 20 years ago,” Vanna explained. “It’s not like we were good friends, but we’d run into each other occasionally.”
“Obviously now that we’re working together, we have become better friends and gone to dinner a few times,” she added. “I wanted him to meet my family, and I wanted to meet some of his family. And we work together well when we’re here at the studio.”
Vanna has also made a point of maintaining her close relationship with Pat.
“We’re friends, and we’ll remain friends, and we’ll still go out to dinner and hang out for sure,” she said. “Everybody chooses when it’s time to retire, and that’s his choice. I wasn’t ready to retire, so that’s why I’m continuing on. But Pat will be continuing with Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. We haven’t recorded those episodes yet, but the shows will be airing this fall.”
After Pat retired, Vanna decided to extend her own contract through at least 2026. When asked why she did this, her answer was simple.
“Because I enjoy it,” she stated. “I love coming to work. I love watching people win. I love changing people’s lives. There’s a lot of stuff on TV that is so dramatic, and this is a half-hour of family fun and escape from so much. It’s such a positive family show. I love being part of that. So I’m not ready to leave.”
Vanna Allegedly In The Running To Take Over As Host
In the weeks since Ryan took over hosting Wheel of Fortune, he’s struggled to win over fans who desperately miss Pat. The situation has become so dire that insiders have claimed that network executives are considering having Vanna host the show alone if things don’t turn around soon.
“Vanna’s in the catbird seat,” one source said. “She can just stand back and see how Ryan gets on. Even if that’s not her intention, she can certainly be the one to benefit from this in a big way because she’d be the next obvious replacement. Everyone knows there’s no one the fans would rather see take over from Ryan — she’d be a slam dunk!”
Full Story: Rumor: Vanna White May Take Over ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ If Ryan Seacrest Can’t Win Over Audience
With her latest comments about Ryan, Vanna is once again showing what a class act she really is. Here’s hoping that Vanna stays on Wheel of Fortune for many years to come!
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