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Dec 10, 2019 Vanna White, the longtime 'Wheel of Fortune' mainstay, was shown Monday hosting her first entire episode of the popular game show sans Pat Sajak. White, 62, took over for Sajak for the show's. Sajak got his start as a weatherman at WSM-TV Nashville before moving to KNBC Los Angeles where he got the exposure that landed him a spot on Wheel of Fortune (1975). Was a disc jockey on the armed forces radio while he served in Vietnam.

If you’re playing “Wheel of Fortune,” you have to know which letters you want to choose.

However, for a new celebrity version, three letters — namely, ABC — did the choosing.

The network adds Pat Sajak and Vanna White to its roster of primetime game-show personalities as “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” launches a new Thursday slate of contests. (In the others, “The View’s” Sara Haines hosts “The Chase,” and Craig Ferguson presides over “The Hustler.”) Even with stars taking the spins, “Wheel of Fortune” remains the familiar game that’s long been a syndication powerhouse, with the celebrity players donating their winnings to charities.

The game itself always is the ultimate “star” of “Wheel of Fortune,” though, and Sajak said, “That’s been part of my success, recognizing that. It’s not ‘The Pat Sajak Show.’ I may be the most charming and delightful host in the world — and I probably am! — but if there’s no game, there’s nothing there. You can’t get in the way of it.”

Viewers “want to see the puzzle and solve it,” said Sajak. “Unlike most shows like ‘Jeopardy!,’ the object is not to try to solve the puzzle first; it’s to try to make some money (by picking as many individual letters as possible), so it’s leisurely in that sense. The player’s not trying to solve it instantly.”

That should remain the case as celebrities vie to win money for the organizations they designate. With the late Alex Trebek having hosted a playoff between “Jeopardy!” champions in a special ABC series last winter, Sajak believes that “greased the wheel a little bit” for the “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” order.

Sherrill Sajak

“It’s a tricky business,” Sajak noted. “The one thing you don’t want to start doing is to overexpose the show. In some markets, you’ll have a half-hour of (the syndicated) ‘Wheel of Fortune’ followed by an hour of (the ABC) ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and I don’t think you can do that too often without watering it down. But for a limited run like this, I think it’s fine.”

Sajak appreciates the career longevity he’s had thanks largely to “Wheel of Fortune,” which he has hosted since 1981. His popularity was reaffirmed by the fan outpouring during his absence after emergency intestinal surgery in late 2019. (White moved over and filled in as host, and Sajak’s country-singer daughter Maggie was a guest letter-turner.)

“What I take the greatest pride in personally,” Sajak said, “is that it’s very tough to be welcomed into a house for nearly 40 years. The fact that Vanna and I still are is the best thing I can say about it, from a talent or skill point of view.”

— Zap2It

Lesly Brown-sajak

On Nov. 8, 2020, Alex Trebek passed away at the age of 80. The devastating news sent shockwaves across America. The longtime Jeopardy! host's death was announced on Twitter with the game show's official account tweeting, 'Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.'

Why Did Vanna White Divorce

As even casual fans of the game show likely know, Trebek had been open about his battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He first announced his diagnosis in March 2019, explaining his desire to be open with fans about what he was going through. 'I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease,' Trebek said at the time. While he seemingly fought incredibly hard following his 2019 announcement, the beloved figure is sadly no longer with us.

From Seth Meyers to Viola Davis, countless celebrities have spoken out about Trebek's legacy and the impact he had on living rooms across America. Now, two more TV game show icons have paid tribute to the host in the wake of the loss: Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Scroll down to find out what they had to say about Alex Trebek's passing.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White wrote touching tribues, noting the 'tremendous loss'

Vanna White Pat Sajak Salary Per Episode

So what did Pat Sajak and Vanna White have to say about the tragic passing of Alex Trebek? According to Page Six, the Wheel of Fortune host took to Twitter on Nov. 8, 2020, to share his feelings. 'Alex Trebek's courage, grace and strength inspired millions and awed those of us who knew him,' Sajak penned. 'A tremendous loss for his family, friends, co-workers and countless viewers. I was honored to be a friend and a part of his professional family for all these years. A very sad day.' Per Page Six, Sajak and Alex Trebek had hosted their respective game shows since the '80s.

Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White was also quick to mourn the loss of her peer and friend. She took to Instagram in her own heartfelt post on Nov. 8, 2020. 'I will cherish the many memories I have shared with Alex Trebek that date back well before either of our careers took off,' she wrote. 'I will always be in awe of the way he faced the battle he fought so valiantly, and I'm devastated to lose my longtime friend. My heart is with his family, friends, co-workers and fans. There will never be another Alex Trebek and he will truly be missed.'

In the time since the painful loss, some fans have speculated about Alex's Trebek's possible successor, though most are simply mourning the passing of an American treasure.