“Wheel of Fortune” is a family business for the Sajaks.
Pat Sajak, who has hosted the iconic game show since the ’80s, welcomed the next generation on set as his daughter, Maggie Sajak, filled in for “Wheel” co-host Vanna White on Wednesday night. White competed as a contestant alongside “Jeopardy!” hosts Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings.
The younger Sajak turned the digital letters on the “Wheel of Fortune” puzzle board while White participated in a special Ultimate Host Night round of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” competing against Bialik and Jennings for charity.
“Maggie, thank you so much for filling in for me,” White said in an Instagram sneak peek of the episode. “I know you’re going to do a great job.”
Maggie gushed about White’s veteran status when Sajak introduced her as co-host at the start of the episode.
“I have some iconic high heels to fill,” Maggie said. “I hope to make Vanna proud.”
Maggie’s appearance proved to be an emotional moment for Sajak. “I think I’m going to cry,” he said as Maggie made her entrance.
Maggie Sajak isn’t a stranger to the “Wheel of Fortune” stage. Even though it was her first time at the puzzle board, she’s worked on the show as the social correspondent since 2021. Her debut on the game show came early as a 1-year-old when her father brought her on set while filming, according to her bio on the show’s website.
The Sajak-White duo have worked together on the show for more than 40 years and have signed a contract to keep the wheel spinning at least through 2024. In an interview with USA TODAY in 2021, Sajak admitted that he and White were “much closer to the end than we are to the beginning” of hosting the show.
“There’s a pretty good chance that when one of us leaves, we’ll both leave, because it would be odd for either of us to work with somebody else,” he said. “I always say that I want to leave while the show is still popular and before people tune in and say, ‘Ooh, what happened to him?’ “
He added: “I’m not quite there yet, but I don’t know. Let’s put it this way, 20 years from now, we won’t be here.”
‘Wheel of Fortune’ keeps on spinning:Pat Sajak on his ‘Wheel of Fortune’ end date and why he’d like Meryl Streep on celeb edition
Contributing: Edward Segarra and Bill Keveney, USA TODAY
