Vanna White has been the co-host of the hit game show Wheel Of Fortune since 1982. She recently renewed her contract to stay on the game show until at least 2026.
In a new interview, however, she’s admitted that she considered retiring after her long-time co-host Pat Sajak announced that he’ll be leaving the show at the end of this season.
White Talks Retirement
When asked by TV Insider how long she plans to stay on Wheel Of Fortune, White admitted, “I don’t know.”
“When I heard that Pat was retiring, I thought maybe I should retire too,” she confessed. “But I’m not ready!”
White, 67, is set to remain on Wheel Of Fortune through at least the 2025-2026 season. After that, however, she’s not sure what will happen.
“We’ll see toward the end of those two years how I feel,” she said. “I thank God after all these years that I still love my job.”
White Shoots Down Rumors
Season 42 of Wheel of Fortune is set to premiere in September with White co-hosting alongside Ryan Seacrest. The American Idol host was tapped as Sajak’s replacement in June of last year.
Last year, there were rumors that White was holding out in contract negotiations for a pay raise. She was quick to shot down this speculation, however.
“Everything is so blown out of proportion, not just with my stuff, with everybody’s stuff,” she told People Magazine back in October.
White went on to describe herself as “a strong person. I’m not going to do anything I don’t want to do or that I don’t believe in.”
“My mother taught me that at a young age, and I’m sticking to my guns,” she concluded.
Watch White talk more about this in the video below.
White’s History
White was born in 1957 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Her parents divorced when she was a baby and she was raised in North Myrtle Beach by her mother and stepfather.
After high school, White attended the Atlanta School of Fashion while also working as a model. After her mother died of ovarian cancer in 1980, White moved to Hollywood and quickly score some minor acting roles in movies that are largely forgotten.
White’s life changed forever in 1982, when she was chosen over 200 applicants to co-host Wheel Of Fortune with Sajak. The show was a massive hit, and by 1986, it had a syndicated evening version that attracted 30 million viewers.
White Named As TV’s Most Frequent Clapper
Vannamania soon swept America, with White becoming incredibly popular. In 1992, “The Guinness Book Of World Records” named White as TV’s most frequent clapper. The publication found that she has an average of 720 claps per show and over 28,000 per season.
“It’s not the most intellectual job in the world, but I do have to know the letters,” she once joked of her role on Wheel Of Fortune. “When I was having that alphabet soup, I never thought that it would pay off.”
Watch White talk about her love for this job in the video below.
Related: Game Show Host Pat Sajak Says ‘End Is Near’ After 40 Years Of Hosting ‘Wheel Of Fortune’
In her personal life, White was married to George Santo Pietro from 1990 until they divorced in 2002. They had two children together, son Nikko, 29, and daughter Gigi, 27.
White helps bring joy to millions of people every night on Wheel Of Fortune. Here’s hoping she stays with the game show for many years to come!
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