1985 Vanna White Predicted How Long She’d Be On ‘WOF’

In 1985, Vanna White accurately predicted how long she would be on Wheel of Fortune. Though she was unsure what would happen when Pat Sajak was ready to retire, she opted to stick it out. Now, Vanna is jumping into this new era with Ryan Seacrest and has a fresh contract. Keep reading for what Vanna exactly predicted nearly forty years ago.

1985 Vanna White Predicted How Long She’d Be On WOF

When Pat Sajak announced he was leaving Wheel of Fortune in June 2023, no one knew what that meant for Vanna White. She has been by his side for forty years so would she leave too? Plus, his daughter, Maggie Sajak has been a force to be reckoned with so it only made sense for Vanna to pass the torch. It was soon revealed that Ryan Seacrest was taking over for Pat but what about Vanna? She actually had an antiquated contract that needed renegotiating. Vanna made a fraction of what Pat did and had not gotten a raise in nearly two decades.
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She was ready to play hardball and did just that. Ultimately, she secured a contract that would carry her until 2026 so she walked onto the stage with Ryan Seacrest for his debut episode on Monday, September 9th. This was a big deal as she had worked alongside Pat for forty years and now she was ushering in the new generation of Wheel. Yet, according to The Sun, she gave an interview in 1985 where she knew that this would happen.

 

Vanna White was asked in 1985 if she had any other goals. At the time, she said this:

“Not at the moment. I’m going to be with Wheel of Fortune as long as it’s on.”

This was shown to Vanna and Ryan Seacrest when they appeared on GMA Monday, September 9th ahead of his premiere episode. She said she was going to be with the game show as long as it was on. Now, she is still there today which only shows her strong intuition. More so, it points out how much Vanna loves her job.

Not Giving Up

Vanna White made it clear that she did not want to leave her post at Wheel of Fortune. In early September, she spoke to the New York Times and explained that she still has the energy to do this job so why stop?

“Fortunately, I’m healthy, I’m active, and I can still walk in those six-inch heels, and I still wear those dresses. Well, they’re not necessarily six inches – they feel like they’re six inches.”

She was initially nervous about not having chemistry with Ryan Seacrest despite a longstanding friendship. Luckily, they have a seamless flow and everything has worked out so who knows how long she will extend her contract after this.

Are you happy Vanna has stuck around and do you think she has many more years left in her? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.