Vanna White will appear on the Wheel of Fortune stage in a few months with her new co-host, Ryan Seacrest.
Pat Sajak is officially retired after over 40 years of hosting the iconic weeknight game show.
Vanna and Pat formed a close friendship working together, so Ryan taking Pat’s place will surely be a huge adjustment.
Ryan makes his Wheel of Fortune debut in September 2024 when Season 42 premieres.
But before Wheel watchers get to see Ryan in his new role alongside Vanna, there’s reportedly been some trepidation on Vanna’s part behind closed doors.
A Wheel of Fortune insider recently spilled the tea, reportedly telling the outlet that Vanna feels like a “third wheel” since Ryan replaced Pat.
Vanna White says her working relationship with Ryan Seacrest feels ‘forced’
According to a Radar Online tipster, Vanna, 67, “thought that maybe she could become more integral to the show.”
Vanna and Ryan have been taping Wheel of Fortune together since late May in preparation for their September premiere, and according to the insider, “Vanna has tried to give Ryan advice and show him the ropes.”
But “Ryan is a control freak,” says the source. “He finally told her he’s doing things his way and he’s not trying to be Pat Sajak!”
“So Vanna is again relegated to the background, but now it’s not with Pat, someone she knows and loves, but a new guy, Ryan,” they added.
The insider claims that Vanna doesn’t dislike Ryan, but she became so accustomed to working alongside Pat that their chemistry came much more naturally.
“With Ryan, it feels forced and she doesn’t want that to come across to loyal viewers — and producers fear the audience will notice it as well,” continued the person in the know.
Is Vanna jealous of Ryan’s Wheel of Fortune salary?
Not only is Vanna apprehensive about her new co-worker, but supposedly money is another factor.
As Monsters and Critics reported, Ryan will cash in big time with his new Wheel of Fortune host salary.
Ryan will reportedly rake in $28 million annually on Wheel of Fortune — that’s $13 million more than Pat earned during his tenure, and more than nine times what Vanna earns in her position.
Vanna allegedly got into a bidding war with Wheel of Fortune executives and eventually negotiated a salary she felt was fair, also extending her contract through 2025.
There has also been speculation that Vanna may cut her contract short and exit Wheel of Fortune before her time is up … all because of the discord between herself and Ryan.
If that’s the case, “all hell will break loose.” But the insider claims that Wheel of Fortune executives would let Ryan go before they’d ever consider letting Vanna walk away because “they know fans tune in to see Vanna even more than the host!”
Ryan has nothing but nice things to say about his co-host, Vanna
Despite the chitter chatter online about an alleged tiff between Vanna and Ryan, he clarified that he’s excited about working alongside his new legendary co-host.
Ryan sang Vanna’s praises recently and admitted that he’s “ready” to take on his new hosting gig this fall.
Wheel of Fortune fans have expressed mixed reviews about Ryan taking over as host, so he certainly has much to prove to be successful in his new career move.
I can’t stand Ryan Seacrest!
What really turned the tide for me was when he took a chef’s course and all of a sudden he was a 5 star chef (in his own mind) and he was filmed hunched over his kitchen counter with his tiny hands feverishly putting some concoction together. Turned me off instantly because he was so full of himself!
I have never liked Seacrest. I hope wheel fissles under Seacrest and he gets fired!
Seacrest is a good reason not to watch Wheel.