– Vanna White temporarily replaced by a stand-in on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
– Pat Sajak had to take a break from hosting due to illness
– No plans to permanently replace White on the show
‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans were taken aback when they saw Vanna White being replaced by a stand-in, Maggie Sajak, during a recent episode. However, this change was short-lived, and the show’s producers assert that there are no plans to permanently replace White on the show.
The reason behind Maggie, the daughter of the show’s host Pat Sajak, stepping in was because Pat had to take a break from hosting duties due to a medical emergency. He was hospitalized after suffering from abdominal pain and needed surgery to remove a blocked intestine. Pat later confirmed this news on his Twitter account, saying, “As some of you may know, my daughter Maggie has been pinch-hitting for Vanna on occasion. I’m told she’s doing a fine job keeping the contestants in line.”
Although Pat has been away from the show before for various reasons, including a past hospitalization in 2019, he maintains a close relationship with the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ team, who assured that there were no controversies regarding White’s stand-in.
Producers of the long-running game show said in a statement to the press: “Wheel of Fortune has a long tradition of using ‘stand-in’ hosts for unexpected absences. This week, host Pat Sajak needed a last-minute fill-in, and his daughter Maggie filled in.”
Despite the statement, many fans on social media had speculated that there might be a controversial reason behind White’s absence. However, the show addressed the speculation by confirming that nothing controversial had occurred, and that White simply needed rest.
Pat Sajak has been hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ since 1981, while Vanna White joined as the co-host and letter-turner in 1982, making them one of the longest-running on-air partnerships in television history. As the show continues to air new episodes, fans can rest assured that there are no plans for a permanent hosting change.