In April 2024, Ryan Seacrest invited Vanna White on an episode of “American Idol.” Afterwards the pair had kind — if not overly diplomatic — words for one another. “I know Ryan — he is professional, he’s good at what he does, he’s kind,” White told People at the time. Meanwhile, Seacrest gushed over the former beauty queen and said he was “lucky” to host the show with her.
Even though White had only been publicly complimentary of her new “Wheel of Fortune” co-host, it was nothing compared to how she spoke about Pat Sajak. Reports that White struggled without her sidekick should not have been surprising. Besides being on-screen partners for decades, White and Sajak have a close, real life relationship. “He’s so funny! I love him like a brother. Gosh, I’ve known him longer than I’ve known anybody,” White told TV Insider in May when discussing Sajak. Initially, White considered leaving “Wheel” at the same time as him. After all, he had been there with her since day one. “He made me feel comfortable in front of a camera. He was my teacher,” White said about her early days with Sajak.
The on-screen pair had been together since 1982, and many fans thought they had become synonymous with each other. White shared those sentiments. “Peanut butter and jelly go together. Pat and Vanna go together,” she said about her relationship with Sajak while appearing on “Good Morning America” in November 2023.
