ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Vanna White was once forced to host 'Wheel of Fortune' and fans had the same thing to say: "She was..."

Some believe that longtime co-host Vanna White should have been given a chance to be host after Sajak
PUBLISHED MAR 14, 2025
Screenshots showing Vanna White and a contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Commercial Break)
Screenshots showing Vanna White and a contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Commercial Break)

Vanna White had been accompanying Pat Sajak as co-host for more than four decades before he was replaced, and she remains in the same role alongside Ryan Seacrest as the new host of “Wheel of Fortune.” Some believe that longtime co-host Vanna White should have been given a chance to be host after Sajak. She had even hosted one episode and did really well, even without much time to prepare for her stint.

It happened in 2019 when Sajak experienced discomfort in his stomach right before the taping was scheduled and had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery for a blocked intestine. As a result, White stepped in to do something that she had not done in four decades on the show, and she did her best. A clip on YouTube showed the Bonus Round of the episode that was Disney-themed. Minnie Mouse was the one revealing the letters on the screen since White was the host. The name of the contestant was Raychel and she had chosen the ‘Phrases’ category. White did everything correctly. The contestant had a wild card, and she knew exactly when to remind her of that and ask her to choose an extra consonant. Raychel ended up winning $37,000 in that Bonus Round, but the star of the show was White.

Screenshot showing Vanna White hosting
Screenshot showing Vanna White hosting "Wheel of Fortune" (Image credit: YouTube | Commercial Break)

Fans loved her performance and mentioned it in the comments section of the video. “I Love it When Vanna Hosts The Bonus Round,” one user named @NoahRonaldo22 commented. “They shoulda gave Vanna a chance to become the new host of Wheel. This week of guest hosting proved that she can do Pat's job,” added another user.



 

She might have enjoyed being host for a day, but the build-up to that was stressful, to say the least. White and Sajak had been close friends for decades at that point, and seeing him going into emergency surgery threw her off. Pair that with the massive task of hosting “Wheel of Fortune” and things could have gotten messy.

“It was horrible, just horrible. I mean we’ve been together for 37 years and it’s not the same. We are a team, we’re together. It just felt weird with him not being here on the set,” White said in an ABC News interview. “It was terrible. You think the worst because you never know when you’re going in for surgery. You never know what’s going to happen. I was scared to death,” she added.



 

Considering all that, you can’t help but applaud the composure and professionalism White showed in front of the camera as she stepped in for his friend, who was seriously unwell. Not many people could have done what she did that day. It’s no wonder that fans wanted her to replace Sajak. After all, the 68-year-old has what it takes to be a fantastic host of the show.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
All hope seemed lost for the entrepreneurs who had come up with an innovative health product.
10 hours ago
Fans compared Jennings' laid-back style with late television host Fred Rogers.
11 hours ago
The offer being made to the entrepreneurs by O'Leary also seemed to be a bit unfair.
14 hours ago
The guest said that she had received the item from her grandmother who had inherited it.
16 hours ago
The "Pawn Stars" were aleft impressed by the only basketball signed by the OGs Jordan, Phil Jackson, and Kobe.
1 day ago
Turns out that Mr. Wonderful was ordained by the state of California to do the job.
1 day ago
Fans did not expect to see a person with such a striking resemblance to the former Vice President.
1 day ago
Rick Harrison wasn't trying to this item for a low price as it was historically significant.
1 day ago
Despite offering $1.5 million, Harrison was unable to make a deal for the historic item.
2 days ago
Kevin O'Leary hailed their salesmanship after coming to a $600,000 valuation.
2 days ago
The star also followed it up with a second shoutout seeking another chance for her on the show.
2 days ago
The clock was a piece of art and its mechanism was as intriguing as it gets.
2 days ago
The company wasn't profitable and this alone had turned away most sharks in the first place.
2 days ago
All three contestants were unable to make the right guess, and fans pointed out what was wrong online.
3 days ago
The guest was enthusiastic about the painting and the expert was marvelled by its story.
3 days ago
Even the contestant lost his balance as he laughed at his answer immediately.
3 days ago
The Duke of Wellington gifted them the table and a set of willow-patterned tea sets to go with it.
3 days ago
Her product could help a lot of people protect their homes and loved ones from deadly fires.
4 days ago
A lot of the sharks were unsure about the product due to unfortunate incidents in the past.
4 days ago
“He seems like a lot of fun as a dad,” Seacrest admired Tony and Mike Nunes' relationship.
4 days ago