‘Wheel of Fortune’ icon Vanna White reveals the only time Pat Sajak made her cry: “It was over…”

The iconic hosts have created some of the most heartwarming moments together as well.

Screenshot showing Pat Sajak and Vanna White crying on Wheel of Fortune (Cover image source: YouTube/Wheel of Fortune)

“Wheel of Fortune” has consistently maintained its popularity on TV screens for decades, and has delivered moments etched in the memories of fans. Hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White are also remembered as an iconic duo synonymous with the show. Over the years the two have shared some great moments on stage and some of those were quite emotional.

Screenshot showing Vanna White and Pat Sajak hugging on stage (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)
 

In 2022, during the celebration of White’s 40th anniversary with the show, the team organized a special event with White taking the centre stage with decorations themed around her long run. As Sajak congratulated her on the achievement. “Folks, it was 40 years ago on this very date that this young lady walked into the studio trembling, and did her first Wheel of Fortune. And here she is. Happy 40th, my dear,” Sajak said.

White couldn’t hold back her tears, as she thanked Sajak and her team for organizing the special event.

Sajak’s remark about White trembling in her first episode is rather notable, as it almost became the reason for White’s rejection after her audition. When White was being considered for the co-host role in 1982, Sajak didn’t think that she was a good fit for the stage.

“I didn’t recommend Vanna, and Vanna knows this,” Sajak told CBS Sunday Morning in 2020. “Not that she wasn’t lovely and wonderful and personable and all that. But she was the most nervous, by far, of any of them,” he added.

Luckily, the creator of “Wheel of Fortune,” Merv Griffin saw things differently. Griffin insisted that White was the right choice and he even told Sajak that they would “make a great brother-sister team”.
Screenshot showing Pat Sajak and Vanna White in the early days of Wheel of Fortune (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)
Griffin’s vision was proven right as the two co-hosts created history in more than 40 years as co-hosts. They developed a very strong relationship off the set as well and have insisted on always being platonic, despite rumors of a romance doing the rounds from time to time.

Their work relationship was so strong that they never had an argument over anything. Despite working together for over four decades, White could recall all but one argument that the co-hosts ever had. Appearing on the Drew Barrymore show, White shared, “We’ve never had one argument — OK, we had one. It was over putting ketchup on a hot dog.”

She then asked Barrymore if she puts ketchup on her hotdog to which the host replied, that she prefers mustard. “Well, anyway, that’s what he said. ‘You do not put ketchup on your hot dog!’” White recalled.

While that was the only argument, there are two instances where Sajak made White cry on camera. In late 2019, when Sajak had to undergo emergency surgery, White stepped up to help by hosting a few episodes alone for the first time in the show’s history.

They have also created some of the most heartwarming moments together as well. In 2022, Sajak ran off stage to get White a bouquet of flowers. “You know, all these years, I’ve never brought you a lovely bouquet,” Sajak said at the time as per Good Housekeeping. And, to say the least, they have made each other shed tears as well.

Later in June 2023, things went a little further on the emotional scale. When Sajak announced his retirement from the show after its 41st season, White expressed the urge to leave the show as well.

White now continues to carry on Sajak’s legacy alongside his successor, Ryan Seacrest. However, Sajak has made a fair share of surprise appearances since his retirement.