It’s been nearly one year since Pat Sajak retired from Wheel of Fortune after hosting the beloved game show for 43 years. Now, Sajak’s co-host Vanna White is speaking out to reveal where they currently stand after months of not working together.
Before retiring in June of last year, Sajak had hosted Wheel of Fortune since 1981. White joined Sajak on the game show back in 1982, and they hosted the program together for the next 42 years. During that time, White and Sajak developed a strong friendship.
Many wondered if their close bond would last in the wake of Sajak retiring and White remaining on the game show with his replacement Ryan Seacrest. Thankfully, White is letting it be known that she and Sajak are still just as close as ever!
White’s Relationship With Sajak Today
While being interviewed at the “Hulu Gets Real” event in Beverly Hills, California last week, White, 68, admitted that it was “sad” for her to see Sajak, 78, leave Wheel of Fortune.
“It was sad for me in a way because [at the time] I didn’t know what the future held,” White admitted. “It was ending an unbelievable era!”
Despite this, White and Sajak have remained in close contact in the wake of his retirement.
“I still see him!” White gushed. “We’re friends. We have dinner! Yeah, he’s still in my life.”
White went on to say that whenever she reunites with Sajak, whether it’s at work or in their personal lives, it’s like no time has gone by.
“It’s like slipping into something very comfortable,” White explained. “I mean that in the best possible way. It’s just comfortable.”
Related: Pat Sajak, 78, Is Returning To ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ One Last Time For ‘Final Spin’
White Praises Seacrest
Since September, White has been co-hosting Wheel of Fortune with Seacrest, 50. Though she misses Sajak, White has also greatly enjoyed working with Seacrest.
“Ryan did his homework,” White said. “He rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed. He also said to me, ‘I am not replacing Pat Sajak because no one could – ever. I am just stepping in.’ That made me feel good because, as Ryan said, he’s just stepping in – he’s not trying to prove anything.”
At this same event, White told The New York Post that Seacrest “did a good job stepping in” for Sajak. She went on to say that she recently bonded with Seacrest when they traveled to Hawaii for a special Wheel of Fortune episode.
“We had so much fun and he’s such a character,” White said of Seacrest. “I mean, him falling into the water and doing all those fun things. We had a great time.”
Related: Ryan Seacrest Suffers Total Wipe Out On ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ – Vanna White Left Stunned
White’s Emotional Goodbye To Sajak
Sajak’s final episode of Wheel of Fortune aired on June 7 of last year. The day before, White spoke out to send an emotional message to Sajak.
“I don’t know how to put into words what these past 40 years have meant to me but I’m going to try,” White said as she began to tear up. “8000 episodes went by like that. When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable and so confident, Pat. You made me who I am, you really did.”
Later in the tribute, White said that she has “enjoyed every minute” of knowing Sajak.
“As this chapter of our lives is coming to an end, I know you’ll still be close by,” she concluded. “You’re like a brother to me and I consider you a true lifelong friend who I will always adore. I love you, Pat.”
Check out White’s full tribute to Sajak in the video below.
We’re so glad to hear that even after Sajak’s retirement, he is still just as close to White as ever. While we’ve enjoyed Seacrest on Wheel of Fortune over the past few months, there really is no replacing the iconic duo of Pat Sajak and Vanna White!
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