Wheel of Fortune fans are convinced that Maggie Sajak is preparing to take over Vanna White’s role.
Maggie has become a familiar face on the Wheel of Fortune set.
The daughter of legendary Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak works as the show’s social correspondent and has held the position since 2021.
That means the 29-year-old provides Wheel of Fortune viewers with exclusive digital content, behind-the-scenes secrets, sneak peeks of upcoming events, and conducts interviews with contestants.
Maggie compares the Wheel of Fortune crew to her extended family.
She said, “I’m thrilled to be working with them” when she accepted her position with Sony Pictures.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to treat the show’s longtime viewers to a look at what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling,” Maggie added. “Plus, I get to use the carpool lane with my father!”
Vanna and Maggie share a close bond
Vanna White was BFFs with Maggie’s father, Pat, during their tenure at Wheel of Fortune and came to know his family off-set, including Maggie.
It’s no secret that Vanna and Maggie know each other well and share a special on-stage camaraderie.
In her position at Sony Pictures Studios, Maggie has become closer to the Wheel of Fortune icon.
Vanna, 67, is still working as the show’s letter-turner and is in her 42nd year on Wheel of Fortune.
Vanna’s retirement may soon be approaching so Wheel of Fortune executives will eventually have to replace her.
According to Wheel watchers, Maggie would make the perfect replacement.
Wheel of Fortune viewers debate: Should Maggie Sajak replace Vanna White?
On Reddit, one Wheel of Fortune viewer predicted: “Maggie is the Next Vanna…”
The Redditor wasn’t the only person thinking Maggie was working her way up to take over Vanna’s position.
The comments section of the Reddit thread was teeming with feedback from fellow Wheel watchers, who both agreed with and opposed the notion.
One commenter wrote that it “feels like it’s been in the chamber” since Maggie was named Wheel of Fortune’s social correspondent.
Another Wheel of Fortune fan (who was hopeful the rumors were true), added, “Vanna has given interviews stating that Maggie is like a daughter to her. I hope she gets it when Vanna retires!”
Another Redditor, admittedly “already sick of” Maggie, “saw this coming when they kept showing [Maggie’s] face.”
Their comment continued, explaining that Wheel of Fortune producers wanted viewers to “become familiar with” and “like” Maggie in preparation for her future role.
“You and everyone assumes this,” added u/maleolive.
Another commenter argued that Vanna’s job may be obsolete upon retirement since “Nobody needs to touch a board it’s not 1950.”
One of Maggie’s critics called her a “nepo baby.”
“I really hope not. I think it’s kind of gross how she got the job and gets to jet set all over the world just because she’s Pat’s daughter. No,” their comment continued.
Wheel of Fortune fans have been discussing Maggie’s future on the show
Wheel watchers have discussed Maggie taking over Vanna’s job multiple times.
As Monsters and Critics previously reported, fans of the weeknight game show expressed hopefulness last summer while Pat Sajak was still hosting Wheel of Fortune.
Some fans suggested that Maggie should replace Vanna and that Vanna should replace Pat as the host.
Others argued that Maggie should fill her father’s shoes and host Wheel of Fortune rather than his current successor, Ryan Seacrest.
Vanna nominated Maggie as a ‘good’ replacement
In addition to Wheel of Fortune viewers, Vanna revealed that she’d be delighted if Maggie took over her position someday.
In an interview with E! News, Vanna said, “I think she’s a good replacement if I can’t be there for some reason.”
“She’s been around it her whole life, so I think she can fill in for me for sure,” she told the outlet.
Is Maggie trading weeknight TV for the courtroom?
By the looks of it, Maggie may have other plans for her career, however.
As Monsters and Critics also reported, Maggie officially took an oath to become a lawyer two months ago.
Maggie has been busy behind the scenes at Wheel of Fortune, working toward her future as an attorney.
She graduated from Princeton University, finished a postgraduate program at Columbia University, and then graduated from Georgetown University Law School in Washington, DC, in May 2023.
With Maggie’s school efforts, it would be shocking if she gave up her hopes of becoming a lawyer and chose a TV job instead.