After 40 seasons fronting the show, Pat Sajak has teased that he may be ready to relinquish his hosting duties on ABC’s Wheel of Fortune. But if he does decide to leave, who could possibly replace him and what does it mean for his long-time cohost Vanna White? Could she take over from Sajak, or will the show’s producers look to bring in a new face, or possibly a whole new hosting team?
The show has been around since 1975 and was originally hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford before Sajak took over in 1981. In 1983, a nighttime spinoff of the daytime show was announced, which he and Vanna have hosted ever since. During his tenure, Sajak has received 19 nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning three times.
So we ask, who in the current TV landscape would be perfect to take over Wheel of Fortune? Steve Harvey has the star power, but why would he quit Family Feud? What if Mayim Bialik decides she’s had enough of Jeopardy! and likes the idea of being the host of another top syndicated show such as Fortune?
There will undoubtedly be calls for the much-loved White to take over the helm and get a cohost of her own. It would be an interesting shift in dynamic, and White more than deserves the spotlight. Of course, there are other options such as maybe Wayne Brady, Alfonso Ribeiro, or Leslie Jones who have the proven charm to make any show fun.
What if a complete wildcard like Ellen DeGeneres took over? Now that her reign at the top of daytime talk show television has come to an end, she would certainly bring her own style to Wheel of Fortune. Let us know your choice in the poll below.
Wheel of Fortune, Syndicated, check local listings
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, Season 3, Premiere, Sunday, September 25, 9 pm ET/PT, ABC
