With just a few days before Ryan Seacrest makes his debut as Wheel of Fortune host, Vanna White got the chance to tell Pat Sajak exactly what she thinks of his replacement.
Sajak and White, the faces of the popular gameshow for four decades, enjoyed a casual lunch together in Los Angeles
The outing to at California Pizza Kitchen in Encino, marked the first time the pair have been photographed together outside of work, following Sajak’s retirement from the show earlier this year.
Seacrest’s debut will air on Monday but was taped weeks ago so White, 67, could spill the tea on just how well she thinks the 49-year-old is doing.
White, 67, looked stunning in a flowing pink dress and silver sandals, while Sajak, 77, was dressed in a casual blue shirt, chino pants, and sneakers.
Despite Sajak’s departure from Wheel of Fortune, the two remain close friends.
Pat Sajak and Vanna White, the iconic duo behind the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune, enjoyed a casual lunch together.
The outing marked the first time the pair have been photographed together outside of work, following Sajak’s retirement from the show earlier this year.
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Sajak stepped down from hosting Wheel of Fortune after more than 40 years.
His departure marked the end of an era for the popular game show, which has been on the air since 1975. Ryan Seacrest has taken over as host.
While Sajak is no longer onscreen, he has agreed to stay on as a consultant to the show for three years.
His daughter, Maggie, 29, has also maintained her position as the show’s social correspondent.
In a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, White revealed she was a bit worried about whether she’d have the same ‘chemistry’ with Seacrest that she developed over the years with Sajak.
The pair, who worked together for over four decades, were seen dining at California Pizza Kitchen in Encino, California
White, 67, looked stunning in a flowing pink dress and silver sandals, while Sajak, 77, was dressed in a casual blue shirt, chino pants, and sneakers.
‘I’ve known Ryan for probably 20 years but um in the past couple of months we’ve done some traveling together for the show and we got to know each other a little better too, so I think our chemistry is good,’ White said.
When asked if she was ‘nervous’ about what kind of relationship she’d have with Seacrest, she agreed.
‘That right that’s so true I had no idea what to expect.
‘When I’m used to one person for so long I was very scared but it’s he’s he’s doing a great job,’ she said.
Seacrest himself added, ‘This is such an incredible special franchise it’s more than a TV show it is something that means something to people and when I found out that this was an opportunity for me there was no thought to this it was like absolutely let’s figure it out.’
More than 11 million viewers tuned in to Sajak’s final episode in June, the show’s largest audience in four years.
Despite Sajak’s departure from Wheel of Fortune, the two have remained close friends
While Sajak’s final season was happening, it was unclear if White herself would even return, amid a contract dispute.
She has made $3 million per year hosting the show… though that has been her exact same salary for the past 18 years, with no raises whatsoever, according to TMZ.
Meanwhile, Sajak was making upwards of $15 million a year, with the report claiming that White wanted to be paid at least half of what Sajak was earning.
She ultimately came to an agreement with Sony Pictures Television and was getting a reported, ‘significant’ raise with her new deal, that will last the next two seasons.
There was talk that White’s lawyer Bryan Freedman was considering a gender pay disparity lawsuit against Sony Pictures TV, though that has yet to be confirmed.
Last month, Wheel of Fortune accidentally leaked their new puzzle board while unveiling a first look of Ryan Seacrest as host following Pat Sajak’s retirement.
While Sajak’s final season was happening, it was unclear if White herself would even return, amid a contract dispute
Sajak’s departure marked the end of an era for the popular game show, which has been on the air since 1975. Ryan Seacrest has taken over as host
In a first glimpse of the media mogul, 49, alongside White, ahead of season 42, eagle-eyed social media users noticed the set got a bit of a makeover.
The puzzle board, which displays the answers to contestants during the CBS game show, looked bigger and had a new, gold tiled border.
Previously, the board had a teal blue screen. At this time, it is unknown if the changes are just aesthetic or if they serve any additional purposes.
Viewers were torn over the new puzzle board, with one X user calling the adjustments ‘interesting to say the least.’