Vanna White tries to shut down feud rumors with Wheel of Fortune’s Ryan Seacrest – but many fans aren’t happy with post
VANNA White has made an attempt to quiet skeptics of her chemistry with Wheel of Fortune host Ryan Secrest with a photo.
The longtime game show co-host, who first appeared on Wheel of Fortune in 1982, shared a smiley snap alongside the show's new lead amid rumors about their bond.
In Vanna's Instagram snap, she and Ryan, 49, appeared to be enjoying a meal together.
They were seated at a small table, sitting caddy-corner to one another.
The Wheel of Fortune co-hosts held up their spoons, loaded up with food, as they smiled for the lens.
Vanna, 67, was wearing a brown and black sweater, while Ryan donned a dapper gray suit with a white shirt underneath.
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"Friends on and off camera. Enjoying one of our favorites, Chicken and Dumplings!" the game show personality captioned her post.
The photo came amid reports that Vanna was considering leaving Wheel of Fortune when her contract expires in 2026, if not sooner.
A source claimed that she and American Idol host Ryan were struggling to find their groove, according to Life & Style along with other reports.
Vanna worked alongside Pat Sajak, who appeared in his final Wheel of Fortune episode in June, for his entire tenure on the show.
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Pat retired, handing the show over to Ryan.
FANS REACT
Fans in the comments on Vanna's post gushed over their apparent bond, despite major backlash over Ryan being named the show's new star in recent weeks.
"So great! The smiles say it all! Love you both," one fan posted.
"It's going to be fun!!! Cannot wait!!!!!" a second gushed.
"I'm so glad that you are friends already!" a third supporter shared.
"Looking forward to this duo and the new set in the fall!" another person fawned.
Wheel of Fortune Host Timeline
Although Pat and Vanna have been a staple on the game show for decades, there have been other hosts
Chuck Woolery was the host from 1975 to 1981
He co-hosted alongside Susan Stafford (1975 to 1982)
Vanna White then stepped in as hostess in 1982 and has been ever since
After a contract and salary dispute, the show got rid of Chuck and brought in Pat in 1982
Pat hosted with Susan for one season
He then left the game show in 1989 to host a late-night talk show for CBS
For five months, NFL player Rolf Benirschke took his place
In July 1989, Bob Goen hosted the show on CBS
He hosted for a year and a half until the show was canceled in 1991
The show was then moved to ABC with Pat and Vanna hosting for the foreseeable future
In 2023, Pat announced his retirement and Ryan Seacrest as quickly named as his replacement
"Aww this makes me so happy," a fifth commenter praised.
STEPPING ASIDE
On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Vanna was strongly considering leaving Wheel of Fortune and producers were looking into options for her replacement.
According to the rumors, Kim Kardashian was among the ladies being eyed to take Vanna's spot on the game show.
A source told Life & Style, "They've compiled a list of folks to replace Vanna, and Kim Kardashian is at the top."
"Kim is a very close friend of Ryan's and would bring a whole new audience.
"Ryan wants to make the show younger and sexier. He's responsible for the Kardashian reality show and believes in that family more than anyone!"
According to the insider, Vanna was hopeful when she started working with Ryan that they would fall into the same rhythm she and Pat, 77, had.
"After Pat quit, Vanna was optimistic about working with Ryan, but they have zero chemistry and no vibe," the source added.
"Plus, she could be his mother!"
No formal offer has been made to Kim, according to the insider.
Those close to the Kardashians star say it's an opportunity she would likely seriously consider.
Fans don't want to see Vanna leave Wheel of Fortune, however.
In fact, recently some viewers suggested that she should be hosting the show over Ryan.
"Why didn't they make her the host and have some beefcake dude in short shorts turning the letters?" one fan wondered in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
They quote-tweeted a post claiming Vanna and Ryan struggling to work together.
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"They legit should do that for one episode. The internet would explode," another fan responded.
Wheel of Fortune is currently on summer break, but Vanna and Ryan are currently filming episodes that will air this fall.
