Vanna White & Ryan Seacrest's Chemistry On Wheel Of Fortune Is Reportedly Worse Than We Suspected
Before taking his last spin as the host of "Wheel of Fortune," Pat Sajak made it clear he was fine with Ryan Seacrest replacing him on the iconic game show. Reportedly, after working early on with Seacrest, Vanna White did not have those same feelings, and she shared her misgivings about working alongside the "American Idol" host. Amid Sajak's retirement, White secured her future on "Wheel" with a new contract through 2026, but she may follow her former co-host out the door sooner than expected. "It is just so difficult to do this without Pat," a source close to the situation told Daily Mail on June 16, 2024. "She just doesn't jibe with Ryan like she did with Pat ... There is just no way that she possibly could," the insider added. According to the report, White was also eyeing an exit to make room for a younger letter-turner to pair with Seacrest.
The new "Wheel" tandem have started filming together, but the episodes with Seacrest are not set to air until September. After hearing reports that White and the new host had clashed on set, a source close to Seacrest told the New York Post there was "no truth" to the rumors.
White attempted to build a rapport with her future co-host when it was announced Seacrest was joining the game show. She told E! News in October 2023 that she called to congratulate him, but the pair had not had "big conversations yet." Seacrest did however make a kind gesture to White before joining "Wheel."
Vanna White's bond with Pat Sajak was closer than people expected
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.