Ryan Seacrest's maiden voyage in Pat Sajak's former job – hosting Wheel Of Fortune – is nearly here, and Vanna White opened up about her worries ahead of the iconic game show's upcoming big change.
Ryan came to widespread hosting fame with American Idol in the early aughts, and managed to parlay what could have been a flash-in-the-pan gig hosting a reality TV upstart show into more than two decades of fame and fortune.
Pat's passing of the baton to Ryan has been rumored to be a rocky transition, with some fans calling Seacrest "unwatchable" in Sajak's position.
On top of that, back in July, rumors held that Ryan was being something of a tyrant on the Wheel Of Fortune set — which instantly made everyone wonder how Vanna was handling the massive change after decades on the mega-popular game show.
Ahead of Wheel Of Fortune's September debut, CBS Sunday Morning profiled the show, Ryan, and Vanna, and White was candid about her feelings regarding the change in hosts.
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Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and it kicked in hard after Pat Sajak's final episode aired on June 7.
Wheel Of Fortune fans swarmed comments sections across social media, with many objecting to Ryan's takeover before taping even started in July.
Then there were rumors that taping for the upcoming season was uncomfortable, and that Ryan and Vanna weren't hitting it off that well.
CBS Sunday Morning profiled the upcoming season of Wheel Of Fortune, and spoke with Vanna and Ryan, the latter of whom also faced a massive hurdle — overcoming public perception that he was an interloper after 40 years of Pat ruling the roost:
"Wheel of Fortune was a house constructed by its creator Merv Griffin, and meticulously maintained by host Pat Sajak for over four decades.
"Now, Seacrest has to figure out the floor plan, including the rules of the game, which he says actually took a lot of practice[.]
CBS alluded to the enormity of succeeding Sajak, as well as the standing of Vanna in terms of television history, noting that "Seacrest seemed comfortable in the role of host, and co-collaborator with the TV royalty that is Vanna White" in early tapings reviewed by the network.
As for Vanna, she told CBS that Ryan wasn't a total stranger when he was anointed as Pat's replacement.
However, she admitted that he still wasn't Pat, and that was hard for her:
"'I've known Ryan for probably 20 years,' said White. 'But in the past couple of months, we've done some traveling together for the show, and we got to know each other a little better, too. So, I think our chemistry is good.'
"Asked whether she was nervous about the chemistry aspect, White replied, 'I had no idea what to expect, when I'm used to one person for so long. I was very scared, but he's doing a great job.'"
CBS wasn't the only big news outlet covering Wheel Of Fortune's sea changes ahead of its premiere, as the New York Times reported on the show's looming changes in depth.
In that reporting, the Times quoted a surprisingly honest admission from Vanna herself — specifically, that she'd always assumed she'd follow Pat out the door.
It seemed as if Vanna flirted with the idea, but wasn't ready to hang up her glittery gowns just yet:
"For some time, Ms. White, 67, figured that when Mr. Sajak retired, she’d hang it up too. They had been a team for more than four decades.
"But she ultimately decided she wasn’t ready to 'play golf every day. Fortunately, I’m healthy, I’m active and I can still walk in those six inch heels and I still wear those dresses,' she said.
"Well, they’re not necessarily six inches – they feel like they’re six inches,' she added."
The Times called Vanna and Ryan's jobs the "most coveted ... in television," and added that one thing never changed — the titular wheel itself:
"'There is no other wheel,' said Suzanne Prete, the head of game shows at Sony. Even when the show goes on the road, the wheel travels with it.
"'There were a lot of people sweating when it goes on a ship to go to Hawaii or whatever,' [Executive Producer Bellamie] Blackstone said."
Ultimately, Wheel Of Fortune fans will finally get a read on how Vanna White's chemistry with Ryan Seacrest stacks up against her vibe with Pat Sajak when the new season (and host) debuts on September 9.
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