Vanna White paid tribute to her old colleague Pat Sajak before her final edition of Wheel of Fortune after more than four decades hosting the popular game show, which airs 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 these last 41 years have meant to me, but I’m going to try.”
The clip included a montage of the tandem’s work on the show, which has spanned about 8,000 episodes since White joined the show in 1982, a year after Sajak.
“When I started, I was very green,” White said. “You made me feel so comfortable and so 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 her final edition of Wheel of Fortune after more than four decades hosting the popular game show, which airs Friday.
White noted how she and Sajak, 77, have been family friends off-camera for the past four decades.
“As the years went on, we grew on television, but we also shared a lot more behind the scenes,” White said. “And as much fun as we have in front of the camera, those memories, milestones and life events we share with our families outside of the studio are my favorites.”
The video montage that accompanied White’s tribute included images of their families.
White is the mother of two children with her ex-husband George Santo Pietro: son Nikko, 29, and daughter Giovanna, 26; while Sajak is the father of son Patrick, 33, and daughter Maggie, 29, with his wife Lesly Brown, 59.
White noted how she and Sajak “watched our children grow up together,” “traveled around the world,” and “ate hundreds of meals together” during their time working on the game show.
“We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve celebrated,” White said. ‘Oh my God, what an incredible and unforgettable trip we’ve had. And I have enjoyed every minute with you.
She continued: ‘As this chapter of our lives comes to a close, I know you will still be around. You are like a brother to me and I consider you a true friend for life, whom I will always adore. I love you, Pat.’
The tribute concluded with a clip of White blowing a kiss and hugging his longtime colleague.
The famous TV tandem’s time on the game show has spanned about 8,000 episodes since White joined the show in 1982, a year after Sajak
White said in a clip on Thursday: “I can’t believe tomorrow is our last show together.”
White noted how she and Sajak have been family friends off-camera for the past four decades.
The TV personality said: “What an incredible, unforgettable journey we’ve had.”
White joined the program in 1982, a year after Sajak began his tenure with the program.
White noted how she and Sajak “traveled all over the world” while working on the game show.
Sajak and his co-star Vanna White have appeared on the game show since the 1980s.
Sajak made the announcement on his Twitter page in June 2023.
A tweet from last year from the game show confirmed the host’s pending departure from the series.
Sajak broke 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 our last.
‘It has been a wonderful journey and I will have more to say in the coming months. Thank you very much to all. (At least it will keep the clickbait sites busy!)’
A subsequent tweet from the long-running game show read: ‘Thank you to the best host in the business. Wheel of Fortune wouldn’t be what it is today without you, Pat. We hope season 41 is better than ever!
According iMDb On Thursday, Sajak hosted 7,942 episodes of the series’ late-night edition to date between 1983 and 2024.
Sajak began as host of the daytime series beginning in 1981, and left that edition to host his own late-night series in 1989. The daytime edition was canceled in 1991.
He has won three Daytime Emmy Awards for his efforts as host of the series, and in 2011, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on the television show.
White, a former 1978 Miss Georgia USA contestant, acted in minor roles and appeared as herself in films and television. She will continue her duties on the show at least through the 2025-2026 season after signing a contract extension last fall, with Ryan Seacrest set to replace Sajak as host.