Vanna White has been a mainstay on Wheel of Fortune effectively since its conception, as synonymous with the program as former host Pat Sajak. However, fans will see a break in her near-perfect attendance as White will be missing Wheel of Fortune for the first time in 30 years.
The Wheel of Fortune fans today know originates to 1983 and was created by Merv Griffin. The position of co-host and letter-turner came down to White and Vicki McCarty, with Griffin choosing White thanks to her chemistry with Sajak. Sajak will soon be gone and so, for a time, will be White – but not permanently. So, why?
Vanna White will briefly be absent from ‘Wheel of Fortune’
White will be absent from Wheel of Fortune during the game show’s Teacher’s Week. Episodes are taped ahead of time and White was sick at one point during a taping session. White reportedly fell ill with COVID-19 in late July, keeping her from the program.
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Teachers Week pits academic instructors against each other, with contestants coming from all manner of fields like chemistry, history, math, and more. Because the contestants would need to be present for classes once the academic year kicked off, Wheel of Fortune could not reschedule these games for a time when White would be available.
Vanna White’s future on the game show
Teachers Week is slated to air in October, so that is when viewers can expect to see White briefly absent from Wheel of Fortune. As for the hosting gig, Ryan Seacrest will be running Wheel of Fortune, after Sajak announced his retirement after over four decades.
In the aftermath of his departure, White has reportedly been in contract negotiations seeking higher pay. Cinema Blend reports that Sajak would make five times what White earned and that she is speaking with lawyers to close the financial distance.
For now, however, she is still loyally with the show, as she has been for decades with very few exceptions. In 41 years, White has missed Wheel of Fortune only three times: first was in ’86 as bereavement leave mourning the death of her then-boyfriend; next was in ’91 during her two-week honeymoon with George Santo Pietro; this autumn marks the third time.
