“I think when Merv Griffin chose both of us, 40 and 41 years ago, he saw something between us - a brother-sister type relationship,” she told People.
She also filled in for Sajak when he underwent emergency surgery in 2019 for a blocked intestine. Perhaps the most obvious choice, White, 66, is as much a part of the fabric of “Wheel of Fortune” as the bonus round. So, who will replace him? Here’s an early look at some potential candidates. Pat Sajak has been a familiar face to TV viewers for four decades. Sajak hosted the daytime version until 1989 and has been hosting the evening version since it debuted in 1983. Sajak, 76, joined “Wheel of Fortune” after original host Chuck Woolery left in December 1981. Unlike “Jeopardy!” though, “Wheel of Fortune” does not necessarily have contestants familiar to viewers who have become household names, making the task of figuring out who will step in for Sajak harder than solving a puzzle with a J in it. “Jeopardy!” endured a similar predicament following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek, but that show had popular contestant Ken Jennings in the offing and used a rotation of guest hosts before settling on Jennings and Mayim Bialik (after original choice Mike Richards lost the job).
