Vanna White recalls 'nervous' first day on game show after 200 other girls auditioned
‘Wheel of Fortune’: Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie appears as special guest letter-turner as Vanna White hosts
Pat Sajak's daughter Maggie appears as a special guest as Vanna White hosts the show.
Vanna White is getting to know her new "Wheel of Fortune" co-host, Ryan Seacrest.
After Seacrest was announced as Pat Sajak’s successor, she shared that the two had a phone conversation discussing the big news.
White, 66, revealed that she shared a few tips with Seacrest, 48, as he prepares to step in for longtime host Sajak, 76.
PAT SAJAK LEAVING 'WHEEL OF FORTUNE'
Longtime "Wheel of Fortune" co-host Vanna White talked about the phone conversation she had with Ryan Seacrest, left, as Pat Sajak prepares to step down from the game show. (Getty Images)
"You have to know the alphabet," White jokingly said to E! News. "He’s professional. He’s going to be just fine."
Although she noted they haven't had any big conversations yet, White said she’s going to get to know Seacrest "really well."
"I called him to congratulate him on becoming the host," she added. "He was just so kind and so he goes, ‘Look, no one’s ever going to replace Pat. I’m not trying to replace Pat. I’m just thrilled to be able to work with you, and I’ll do whatever it takes. Please teach me whatever I need to know.’"
White also reflected on the first time she stepped onto the "Wheel of Fortune" stage and what it was like to co-host the show.
Vanna White recalled the "nervous" first day on the game show after 200 other girls auditioned. (Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank)
"I was so nervous. My teeth were chattering, and my knees were shaking because I auditioned for the job along with 200 other girls... I wanted it so badly," she told E! News.
‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’S VANNA WHITE DOESN'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT' THE END OF GAME SHOW WITH PAT SAJAK
Meanwhile, it’s nearly the end of an era for the iconic game-show duo of Sajak and White.
White revealed what she’ll miss the most about her co-host after working more than four decades together.
Vanna White joined Pat Sajak on "Wheel of Fortune" in 1982. (Ron Tom/NBCU Photo Bank)
"Everything," White shared. "I know him so well, we know each other. We’ve been together a lot longer than a lot of marriages... Just working together for all these years. I mean, he’s been with me through 8,000 gowns, literally."
White is known for her stunning outfits as she turns the "Wheel of Fortune" letters. She confessed that she has only repeated an outfit once during her 40-plus years on the beloved game show, but it was "by mistake."
Since the co-host's debut in 1982, White has gone through quite the wardrobe over the years.
She previously reflected on keeping up with the latest trends as fashion evolved.
Vanna White confessed that she has only repeated an outfit once during her 40-plus years on "Wheel of Fortune," but it was "by mistake." (Getty Images)
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"Through 40 years, we have had many changes," she told Yahoo! Life in December. "From the big shoulder pads to the skimpy dresses, I've worn it all. The designers send their latest clothes every year and I wear them. So, it's really up to them. It's their style, and I'm modeling their clothes. So, the pressure really isn't on me."
In a video featured on the "Wheel of Fortune" website, White gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at how she makes her daily wardrobe selection. She explained that she tries on 50 dresses the day before filming and then picks one on the day of the show.
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Vanna White recently signed a contract that will keep her on the show through the 2025-2026 season. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"I don't get to keep them, unfortunately. Designers let me borrow them, and then they take them back," White said in the clip.
She added that her "Wheel of Fortune" wardrobe has motivated her to stay in shape and said that she still wears the same size 6 as when she made her start.
White recently signed a contract that will keep her on the show through the 2025-2026 season.
Stephanie Giang-Paunon is an Entertainment Writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
