Did Pat Sajak And Vanna White Ever Date?

Now that Pat Sajak has retired from Wheel of Fortune and been replaced by Ryan Seacrest, the show has remained in the headlines. For example, there have been claims that Vanna White is making Ryan uncomfortable and complaints that Vanna and Ryan have no chemistry. There have also been headlines about Ryan’s tribute to Pat and claims Ryan resents Pat.

Of course, there are also Wheel of Fortune fans who want to know more about Vanna and Pat. That makes sense since fans were delighted when Vanna called Pat out and have been intrigued by rumors they were competitive behind the scenes. Most of all, many Wheel of Fortune fans still want to know if Vanna and Pat were ever a couple.

Vanna White And Pat Sajak Seemingly Never Dated Despite What They Once Said

Throughout television history, there have been a lot of game shows that have come and gone after totally flopping. At the other end of the spectrum, there have been a handful of game shows that have been successful enough to air for decades.

Fortunately for Wheel of Fortune fans, the beloved game show has been on the air since 1975 and is still going. Throughout those many decades, two people have become the most synonymous with Wheel of Fortune; Pat Sajak and Vanna White.

One of the reasons why Vanna and Pat were at the helm of Wheel of Fortune together for so long is they shared an obvious chemistry. With that in mind, it begs an obvious questions that many fans want the answer to. Have Vanna White and Pat Sajak ever dated?

As it turns out, Wheel of Fortune were given a concrete reason to think that Pat and Vanna once were a couple. In that case, the romance rumors were spawned by a lot more than Vanna and Pat’s obvious chemistry.

How Long Did They Host Wheel of Fortune?

Host
Start
Finish

Pat Sajak
1981
2024

Vanna White
1982
Still Hosting

Many years ago, the Wheel of Fortune duo decided to play an April’s Fool’s Day joke on their fans by saying they were a couple.

In July 2011, The Television Academy Foundation’s YouTube channel uploaded a clip of Pat and Vanna speaking about that joke and its fallout. According to the duo, it quickly became clear that fans thought the relationship was real, since they began sending presents to the so-called couple.

Pat Sajak was born on October 26, 1946 and Vanna White was born on February 18, 1957. That makes Pat 10 years, 3 months, and 23 days older than Vanna.

In the video, Vanna brought up the joke and what happened next.

“I remember years years ago, we, did an April fools joke. I don’t know that we said we were married, but we said something about being together. And we received toasters.”

In response to Vanna’s recollection of the joke they played on viewers, Pat agreed that Wheel of Fortune fans sent presents. “It took a couple of years to convince us that we, we didn’t need any more crockpots for our, for our life.” Pat then commented on how seriously the show’s fans have taken the prospect of him and Vanna becoming a couple.

“People take that, that seriously.”

However, Pat went on from there to make it clear he and Vanna were never a couple. Pat did that by wondering aloud about the idea before quickly dismissing it. “I don’t know how we would have done as a couple. We get along real well now, and there’s no point in pushing that.”

While Pat made it clear that he and Vanna were never a couple, Vanna took things further than that.

In May 2019, Vanna White told Fox News that she’d only ever had one argument with Pat Sajak during their decades working together.

In December 2022, Vanna White spoke exclusively to People about her relationship with Pat. During that conversation, Vanna said something definitive about the kind of relationship she has with Pat.

While talking to People, Vanna told the outlet that Wheel of Fortune’s creator, Merv Griffin, believed that she and Pat had a sibling dynamic. Vanna then went on to agree that she and Pat interact like siblings do.

“I think when Merv Griffin chose both of us, 40 and 41 years ago, he saw something between us — a brother/sister-type relationship. I think that is kind of what it is. He saw that we would be able to get along, I think. And we do. We are like a brother and sister team.”

The fact that Vanna compared her relationship with Pat to siblings makes it clear they were never destined to be romantically linked.

Pat Sajak And Vanna White Have Both Been In Relationships For Years

Based on their obvious connection, it seems very clear that Pat Sajak and Vanna White are important to each other. However, the two long-time co-workers have been sharing their lives with other people for many years.

According to a People article about his wife, Pat Sajak has been married to Lesly Brown since 1989. The article detailed that the couple met through mutual friends and that Lesly is a former model.

Pat Sajak was previously married to Sherrill Sajak from 1979 until 1986.

As many passionate Wheel of Fortune fans are likely to know, Pat and Lesly have two children together. The couple’s son, Patrick, is a doctor and Pat has expressed how proud he and Lesly are of him. The couple’s daughter, Maggie is a country music singer and on-air social media correspondent for Wheel of Fortune.

In October 2023, Vanna White spoke to People about her long-time relationship with John Donaldson.

Vanna White was married to George Santo Pietro from 1990 until 2002. The former couple share a son named Nicholas “Nikko” Santo Pietro and a daughter named Giovanna “Gigi” Santo Pietro.

At the time, Vanna explained to the outlet why she doesn’t feel the need to marry her boyfriend.

“I mean, we’ve been together 12 years, and I feel like we are married. Do we have to get married? No, because we feel comfortable in our relationship. You know what I mean? I know that he’s the one. He knows I’m the one.”

People‘s article also revealed that Vanna’s boyfriend is the founder of a company called JDC Construction + Development Group.

Wheel of Fortune

TV-G
Game Show
Family

Wheel of Fortune is a long-running game show where contestants solve word puzzles to win cash and prizes. Players take turns spinning a large carnival-style wheel to determine prize values and attempt to guess letters in the puzzle. The show is known for its engaging format, charismatic hosts, and the iconic wheel. It combines elements of luck, strategy, and general knowledge, providing viewers with an entertaining and suspenseful experience.

TMDB User Rating67
Release DateSeptember 19, 1983
Main GenreGame Show
Creator(s)Merv Griffin
CastPat Sajak , Vanna White , Ryan Seacrest , Bob Goen , Don Pardo , Charlie O’Donnell , Chuck Woolery
CreatorMerv Griffin
NetworkCBS , NBC