Watch Vanna White pay tribute to Pat Sajak ahead of his final “Wheel of Fortune” episode: 'I love you, Pat'
"What an incredible and unforgettable journey we've had, and I've enjoyed every minute of it with you."
Vanna White is bidding a fond farewell to her longtime Wheel of Fortune cohost Pat Sajak ahead of his final show on Friday.
In a preview clip from tonight’s episode posted on YouTube, White describes Sajak as both a “brother” and a “lifelong” friend and becomes visibly emotional as she reflects on their 41-year run together.
“I can’t believe that tomorrow is our last show together," White says. "I don’t know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me, but I’m gonna try — 8,000 episodes went by like that.”
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White recalls that she was “so green” when she made her debut on the game show in 1982 but that Sajak “made me so comfortable and made me so confident” on set. “You made me who I am,” she says. “You really did.”
The pair have not only “grown up on television” together in the years since, White says, but also “shared so much more behind the scenes” along the way.
“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,” she says. “We’ve watched our children grow up together. We’ve traveled all over the world. We’ve eaten hundreds of meals together. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve celebrated.”
White then gets choked up. “Oh gosh,” she says as her voice wavers. “What an incredible and unforgettable journey we’ve had, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it with you.”
She concludes, “As this chapter of our lives is coming to an end, I know you’ll still be close by. You’re like a brother to me, and I consider you a true, lifelong friend who I will always adore. I love you, Pat.”
The segment ends with a short snippet of Sajak and White reacting to her tribute together on stage.
“Oh my,” Sajak says before pulling a very moved White into a hug.
In June 2023, Sajak announced that he would retire from Wheel of Fortune at the end of its 41st season. Later that month, news surfaced that Ryan Seacrest will act as the host of the show moving forward.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.
