Vanna White Bids A Tearful Farewell To Pat Sajak Ahead Of His Final ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Episode — Watch The Video

As Wheel of Fortune prepares for Pat Sajak‘s final episode Friday, his longtime co-host Vanna White on Thursday paid an emotional tribute to Sajak, who is retiring after more than four decades on the show.

“I can’t believe that tomorrow is our last show together,” says White. “I don’t know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me, but I’m going to try.

“Eight-thousand episodes went by like that,” she says “When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable, and made me so confident, Pat. You made me who I am. You really did.

“As the years have gone by, we’ve grown up on television. But we’ve also shared so much more behind the scenes. 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. 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…. Gosh, what an incredible and unforgettable journey we’ve had, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it with you. 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, life-long friend who I will always adore,” she tearfully concluded. “I love you, Pat.”

You can watch the clip above.

Sajak announced in June 2023 that he was ready to retire as host from the syndicated game show, and Season 41 would be his last. He agreed to stay on as a consultant on the show for three years following his final year hosting, said Suzanne Prete, EVP Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, when Sajak announced his retirement.

A week after Sajak announced his retirement, it was revealed that Ryan Seacrest would be taking over as host in Season 42. Seacrest also will serve as consulting producer on the show.