The end of an era is upon us. For the past 41 years, Vanna White and Pat Sajak have been hosting Wheel of Fortune, and the four-decade run is now coming to an end.
With their final episode slated to air on June 7, 2024, it’s easy to see and understand why there were some pretty strong emotions flying in this final week of shows.
See Vanna White’s Emotional Goodbye to Pat Sajak
In the video from Good Morning America, White is sitting alone in front of a camera. She starts by saying, “I can’t believe that tomorrow is our last show together.”
You can see the emotions start to fill her face as she delivers the opening line to her speech to Sajak, and you can see that you are about to be in for quite the emotional rollercoaster yourself, as well.
“I don’t know how to put into words what these last 41 years have meant to me,” White then says.
White then mentions how fast 8,000 episodes went by over the years, as she begins to get even more emotional.
The video then starts to feature clips from Wheel of Fortune‘s first episodes, where White and Sajak first started working together.
White continues, “When I first started, I was so green and you made me feel so comfortable, so confident. You made me who I am, you really did.”
For most Americans, Wheel of Fortune became a staple in our homes in our early childhoods. We also grew up under the watchful eyes of Sajak and White, so seeing the show come to an end is emotional, to say the least.
Were Pat Sajak and Vanna White Really Friends When the Cameras Were Off?
You bet your bottom they were.
White says, “As much fun as we had on camera, those memories, milestones, and life events we shared with our families, outside the studio, are my favorite.”
White continues, “We’ve watched our children grow up together, we have traveled all over the world, we have eaten hundreds of meals together.”
By the end of the video, White is a puddle of tears and fighting through her speech. White caps it off with, “What an incredible and unforgettable journey we’ve had, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it with you.”
Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 130 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today’s top stars, like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, + more!
See the Most Played Country Song from the Year You Were Born
Who had the most played country song during the year you were born? This list is a fascinating time capsule of prevalent trends from every decade in American history. Scroll through to find your birth year and then click to listen. Some of these songs have been lost through the years, many of them for good reason!
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes