Dec 14, 2019 Not only have they shared a set for over 30 years on Wheel of Fortune, but Vanna White and Pat Sajak have an incredible bond off-screen as well. When asked how she would describe her friendship. Vanna, 60, was hitched to George Santo Pietro from 1990 until 2002. Pat, 70, was married to his first wife, Sherrill Sajak, from 1979 until 1986, then later wed Lesly Brown in 1989, and the two are.

• Pat And Vanna Affair
• How Old Are Pat And Vanna

If you’re playing “Wheel of Fortune,” you have to know which letters you want to choose.

However, for a new celebrity version, three letters — namely, ABC — did the choosing.

The network adds Pat Sajak and Vanna White to its roster of primetime game-show personalities as “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” launches a new Thursday slate of contests. (In the others, “The View’s” Sara Haines hosts “The Chase,” and Craig Ferguson presides over “The Hustler.”) Even with stars taking the spins, “Wheel of Fortune” remains the familiar game that’s long been a syndication powerhouse, with the celebrity players donating their winnings to charities.

The game itself always is the ultimate “star” of “Wheel of Fortune,” though, and Sajak said, “That’s been part of my success, recognizing that. It’s not ‘The Pat Sajak Show.’ I may be the most charming and delightful host in the world — and I probably am! — but if there’s no game, there’s nothing there. You can’t get in the way of it.”

Viewers “want to see the puzzle and solve it,” said Sajak. “Unlike most shows like ‘Jeopardy!,’ the object is not to try to solve the puzzle first; it’s to try to make some money (by picking as many individual letters as possible), so it’s leisurely in that sense. The player’s not trying to solve it instantly.”

That should remain the case as celebrities vie to win money for the organizations they designate. With the late Alex Trebek having hosted a playoff between “Jeopardy!” champions in a special ABC series last winter, Sajak believes that “greased the wheel a little bit” for the “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” order.

“It’s a tricky business,” Sajak noted. “The one thing you don’t want to start doing is to overexpose the show. In some markets, you’ll have a half-hour of (the syndicated) ‘Wheel of Fortune’ followed by an hour of (the ABC) ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and I don’t think you can do that too often without watering it down. But for a limited run like this, I think it’s fine.”

Sajak appreciates the career longevity he’s had thanks largely to “Wheel of Fortune,” which he has hosted since 1981. His popularity was reaffirmed by the fan outpouring during his absence after emergency intestinal surgery in late 2019. (White moved over and filled in as host, and Sajak’s country-singer daughter Maggie was a guest letter-turner.)

“What I take the greatest pride in personally,” Sajak said, “is that it’s very tough to be welcomed into a house for nearly 40 years. The fact that Vanna and I still are is the best thing I can say about it, from a talent or skill point of view.”

— Zap2It

Celebrity couples are fascinating. They're often either full of drama or madly in love — there's no in-between. From Cardi B and Offset to Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, they frequently turn their love into trending topics. Then there are celebrity pairings who you might think are romantically involved, but aren't actually. Among them are Wheel of Fortune hosts, Pat Sajak and Vanna White.

The duo has hosted the game show since 1981 (via History) and been through ups and downs on the show. White had to fill in for Sajak for the first time ever when he had to have emergency surgery for a blocked intestine in December 2019. At the time, White said she was 'excited' and 'nervous' about the experience, per CNN.

Sajak and White's 40-year partnership has lasted longer than many celebrity marriages, and with them having spent so much time together throughout the years, many have wondered why they've never dated.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White are more like family

With Pat Sajak and Vanna White possessing undeniable chemistry on screen, it would be easy for viewers to mistake them for a couple. The truth is, both have been married twice, but never to each other. The reason? They see each other as friends and family, not lovers.

'People see the chemistry between Pat and me,' White told Closer Weekly in 2019. 'We are like brother and sister, and I think that is what makes it work.' Sajak added that their friendship is like 'lightning in a bottle,' and they're so friendly that White said they've 'never had one argument.'

Their unwavering commitment to each other is what has made Wheel of Fortune so popular — so much so that Sajak said that he will only work with White until the show ends. 'My goal is to leave before people turn on the TV and go, 'What the hell happened to him?' Sajak joked on stage at Paley Center for Media in 2017 via Entertainment Weekly. 'I can't imagine being there with someone else.'

Pat Sajak and Vanna White have families and different partners

Pat And Vanna Affair

Besides treating each other like family, Pat Sajak and Vanna White are also in relationships with other people.

According to People, Sajak was first married to Sherill Sajak in 1979, but they divorced after seven years. While 'fresh [off that] divorce,' he met aspiring actress Lesly Brown at a sports bar in 1998, according to Closer Weekly. The two got married in 1989 and went on to have two children together — son Patrick Leonard Michael James Sajdak Jr. in 1990 and daughter Maggie Marie Sajak in 1995, via Oprah Magazine.

White, on the other hand, was first engaged to Young and the Restless actor John Gibson, who was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1986, per People. White has said his death was 'devastating,' but she was grateful for Wheel of Fortune fans for helping her overcome her grief. 'I heard from so many people who had shared the same experience of losing someone instantly in an accident, and that really helped me,' she said.

How Old Are Pat And Vanna

In 1990, White married restaurateur George Santo Pietro, but they filed for divorce in 2002. Since then, White has been in a few relationships and has been dating contractor John Donaldson since 2012.