'Wheel of Fortune' star Vanna White has met many famous people — but one singer made her go 'wow'

As the co-host of “Wheel of Fortune,” Vanna White is one of the most celebrated faces in the TV industry, and often gets to rub shoulders with other celebrities. Being a celebrity herself, White is rarely starstruck by those appearing on the show. However, according to a report in Closer, one celebrity left her stunned when he came to meet her backstage. That person was none other than legendary musician Stevie Wonder.

White said that she was sitting in her makeup chair backstage when Wonder came to greet her. “I was starstruck by Stevie Wonder,” she said. “I was sitting in the makeup chair, and he walked into the room. And I just was like, ‘Wow, it’s Stevie Wonder.’" The veteran co-host also mentioned a couple of other celebrities who made her feel a similar way. "Mr. Rogers — he was the sweetest, sweetest man. And one more. It was Mickey Mantle," she added.

None of this would have been possible had she not landed the job more than four decades ago. At the time, she recalled herself to be a nervous wreck. “I was so nervous because I wanted the job so badly,” she said. “I could hardly talk. My mouth was quivering so much. My teeth were chattering.” Showrunner Merv Griffin hired her a few days after, since she turned in the letters better than the other candidates.

Before she made her debut on “Wheel of Fortune,” White was already appearing on TV. She was a contestant on “The Price is Right” and has also had small roles in a number of movies. It’s almost as if being in front of a camera came naturally to the TV veteran. After all, being a star in front of the camera ran in her family.

According to a report in Parade, White wanted to be on TV thanks to her uncle, who was an actor. His name was Christopher George, and he inspired her niece to strive towards being a TV star since she was in third grade. She even remembered the story of how that came to be. One day, her mother said that her uncle was on TV, and that got her so excited that she made it her goal and achieved it with flying colors.

"When I was in the third grade, I had my appendix taken out, and I was at home watching this show called The Rat Patrol. My mother was in the kitchen cooking. She turned around and said, 'That's your uncle on TV.' I said, 'What? I have an uncle on TV? I want to be on TV!' So, it started in the third grade. It worked out.” White revealed.

White’s uncle starred as Sgt. Sam Troy in the World War II drama, and one of his co-stars was "The Young and the Restless" actor Eric Braeden. He might have been one of the first people that her niece was starstruck by. Today, she’s the one who makes fans feel that way.

Vanna White might have been a part of "Wheel of Fortune" for more than 40 years, but she has aged gracefully. That's not something that some of her friends are happy about since she's reportedly starving herself at 68 to look as good as she does, according to an article on Meaww.