VANNA White shared an emotional goodbye with her longtime Wheel of Fortune counterpart Pat Sajak following his retirement.
Vanna, 66, and Pat, 77, are splitting after 41 years together, with their final episode as hosts airing this Friday, June 7.
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Vanna took to Instagram on Tuesday to celebrate Pat’s final week as host of Wheel of Fortune.
Its final episode airs this Friday, June 7th.
She shared a jaw-dropping wide photo of the pair filming a segment out of place on a hill with a sunset as the backdrop.
Vanna excitedly noted that the sunset was appropriate, as the sun is setting at Pat’s time on the game show.
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“I’m flooded with memories as the sun sets on this chapter for Pat, Wheel of Fortune and myself,” she captioned the post, promising more to come.
“I’ll be sharing some of my favorites in the coming days. Stay tuned.”
‘WON’T BE THE SAME’
Fans flooded the comments section with their feelings about the dynamic duo’s split.
“Wheel of Fortune won’t be the same without him. It was an absolute honor to be on the show on Pat’s last day of recording,” wrote one fan.
“You don’t know the impact this show left on my life!! He will be greatly missed,” wrote another.
“Nooooo it won’t be the same, you two are the dynamic duo,” wrote a third.
“This makes me sad. I really believe it will be a different show. I’m glad you’ll still be there for a while,” wrote another.
Vanna’s message comes because she rarely posts on Instagram, so fans are especially emotional.
Maggie Sajak, Pat’s daughter, chimed in to comment with three heart emojis.
‘SURPRISINGLY OK’
Pat is now in his final week as host, with just four episodes left until he steps down.
On Monday, Pat explained why he chose to leave the show on Good Morning America.
During the nearly four-minute segment, 29-year-old Maggie Sajak — social media correspondent for Wheel of Fortune — interviewed her father about his retirement.
“It feels surprisingly good,” Pat said of his time on the show ending so soon.
“This was announced a long time ago, almost a year ago,” he noted.
“So I had time to get used to it. And it’s been a little dreary and all, but I’m enjoying it, taking it all in and reflecting on the great race.”
Pat, who began hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981, recognized that the show is more than any other show on TV.
“We became part of popular culture. And most importantly, we become part of people’s lives,” he said. “And that has been very rewarding.”
Ryan Seacrest, 49, was chosen as Pat’s replacement last year, shortly after Pat announced he was leaving, and Pat stood by his decision.
“I’ve always told you, you’ve heard me say it dozens of times, ‘I’d rather leave a few years too early than a few years too late.’
“Can I still do this? Yes, I think I can for a while,” Pat told Maggie, 29.
“[But] There are also other things in life we would like to do,” Pat continued.
“I’m enjoying the past year. It’s been a wonderful 40 years. I’m looking forward to what’s to come,” he concluded.
Pat also shared that she would be happy living out her retirement, doing “crosswords and playing with her grandchildren.”
“Hint. Hint. Hint. No pressure,” he teased Maggie.
In addition to Maggie, Pat shares his son, Patrick, with his wife, Lesly Brown.
Like his sister, Patrick doesn’t have any children – but Maggie has recently started a romance with actor Ross McCall, so who knows?
Pat hugged her daughter as she wiped away her tears.
Pat will retire with the longest career hosting the same show in history, surpassing the previous record holder Bob Barker and Alex Trebek.
PAT IS EVERYONE
Pat’s final episode will air on June 7th and is aptly titled “Thanks For The Memories.”
Pat’s farewell will likely not be an all-out tribute with memories through the years, but simply business as usual, with a goodbye at the end.
The episode will be a landmark on TV, as the presenter has been creating puzzles and prizes alongside Vanna since 1981 and 1982, respectively.
Vanna, Pat’s longtime Wheel of Fortune partner, will remain on the show for two years following her departure.
Vanna signed a contract extension to remain with the program through the 2025-2026 season.
When asked by TVInsider how long she thinks she will stay on the game show, Vanna responded, “I don’t know.
“When I heard Pat was retiring, I thought maybe I should retire too, but I’m not ready!”
“We’ll see at the end of these two years how I feel.
“I thank God, after all these years, that I still love my job.”
The show airs weekdays at 7:30 pm ET on ABC, so fans can watch Pat’s farewell episode on June 7 at that time.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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