'Wheel of Fortune' co-host Vanna White reveals she works less than you might expect
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Wheel of Fortune Pat Sajak passes host job to Ryan Seacrest: Video
Pat Sajak, who stepped down as host of "Wheel of Fortune" after 41 seasons, passes the job to Ryan Seacrest, who takes over with Vanna White.
Vanna White might have a little more time off than you might think, revealing in recent interview that she only works about one month out of the calendar year.
The long-time "Wheel of Fortune" co-host sat down for an interview with Elvis Duran, host of the "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" on March 4 to talk all things "Wheel of Fortune," including White's wacky filming schedule.
Nate Marino, executive producer of the show, asks White about her schedule close to the end of the interview, telling her that when he was a kid, he assumed White did the show live.
"I always thought you guys did the show live every night when I'm a kid sitting there watching it in my parent's living room, like, 'Boy, Vanna looks great tonight, she must have had a good day,'" Marino said. "Come to find out, you filmed that three months ago."
The 68-year-old confirmed the detail, adding that they "film about 34 days a year," much to everyone's surprise.
"That's it," White said. "Yes, but (we film) six shows a day ... C'mon, c'mon feel bad for me."
'I never looked it at that way,' Vanna White says
Marino proceeds to calculate how much time off White has in a calendar year, telling the audience on-air that it's about 331 days.
He looks to White, who then says: "Yes, I guess so. I never looked at it that way."
Duran jumps after the pause, telling White that "Wheel of Fortune" sounds like a "great job."
"And you know what, no one deserves it more than you because you're just the best," Duran said.
Americans who work a traditional five-day workweek work about 226 more days than White in a year. Without accounting for time off, there are approximately 260 working days in a year. The average American spends about 71% of the year working.
When asked what her favorite part of the job was, she replied "everything."
"It's a happy show, it's fun. We gave away lots of money, we make other people rich, and they fulfill their dreams," White said. "What could be better?"
The South Carolina native, who auditioned for the role of letter-turner alongside 200 other hopefuls, has appeared in more than 7,000 episodes of America's Game. White has revealed letters on the iconic puzzle board, cheering on contestants and dazzling in a new outfit on TV every night since 1982.
She and former "Wheel of Fortune" co-host Pat Sajak are considered American television royalty. White will continue to serve as the game show's co-host through the 2025-26 season.
How to watch 'Wheel of Fortune'
"Wheel of Fortune" airs weeknights at 7 and 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
You can search by zipcode to find your local station here. Older "Wheel of Fortune" episodes can be found on ABC's web page.
Those without cable can look to a number of streaming apps that offer live television options, including DirectTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
Contributing: Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY
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