What would you do if you suddenly had to host one of the most iconic game shows in America, Wheel of Fortune?
If you said panic, your answer is pretty similar to Vanna White’s when she had to host the show at the last minute. In 2019, Vanna had to fill-in for her costar Pat Sajak when he had to undergo emergency surgery.
For the first time in her history with Wheel of Fortune, producers asked Vanna to step-in as host for the episode. During an interview, Vanna shared how she felt about hosting the show.
“I was really nervous,” said Vanna. “Our executive producer came to me and said, ‘How would you feel about hosting the show?’ I didn’t have time to say no. I said yes, not knowing what that entailed. Really, after 37 years of being at the puzzle board. I’ve never really paid attention to how Pat runs the show.”
Vanna said that transitioning from her usual role to the role of host was like, “going from first baseman to pitcher of the game, but you’re not sure how to pitch.”
Luckily, Pat Sajak gave her some advice before she started filming her first Wheel of Fortune episode as host.
“She knows the way the show works. I just tried to be encouraging and help out on that level,” said Pat during an interview. “But she had fun with it.”
Pat Sajak Called Vanna White A ‘Trooper’ For Hosting Wheel Of Fortune
Like a true friend and co-worker, Pat Sajak had nothing but good things to say about Vanna’s performance as host on Wheel of Fortune. During an interview, he said that she was a “trooper” for accepting the task.
“It would’ve been well within her rights to say, ‘Wait a minute, this is not what you’re paying me for. This is not what I do. And I’d rather not,'” said Sajak. “But she’s a team player. And she was very nervous and not comfortable.”
Nevertheless, Vanna stepped into the role and things went smoothly. Uh oh, Pat, better watch out! Not only is Vanna the best at turning letters, but now everyone also knows she can seamlessly host Wheel of Fortune.
