Vanna White Says ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Doesn’t Really Need Her After Making ‘Crazy’ Changes to Puzzle Board

Vanna White admitted that adjusting to using a new puzzle board on Wheel of Fortune has been a huge change in her life.

“My role on the puzzle board has changed,” she explained in an interview with Parade on September 20. “When I first started, I had to physically turn every letter. Then they switched to TV monitors, so I just had to touch the letters and they would light up. Now the board is operated by a laser. It’s like a flat screen. And when I go to touch the letter, the laser catches my movement. It’s crazy, right?”

When the interviewer clarified that the letters light up without her touch, Vanna, 67, joked, “I’m telling you right now, don’t say it. They need me!” The letter-turner has been a staple on the show since 1982, and for now, it seems like she is here to stay despite the changes. But, she later admitted that the show could go on without her due to the new technology.

“Well, with all the electronics today, obviously they could do it without me. But people love watching what I’m wearing,” she told the outlet. “I’ve worn over 8,000 outfits. So I think the audience likes to see if I’m wearing red today or blue. Is it going to be elegant or short? Young people think, Could that look be good for a bridal shower? My wardrobe is a big part of it.”

The show’s new puzzle board and updated set got some mixed reviews from viewers at home.

“The new #WheelOfFortune set is so beautiful! Ryan Seacrest is doing a great job as the brand new host with Vanna White! The Puzzle Board & Wheel look incredible!” one person wrote on X, while another said, “The Wheel of Fortune set is really not good. There are so many different colors not aesthetically pleasing. It almost makes me sick to watch it. Especially the long shot when they show Ryan and the contestant, it’s like your eyes don’t know where to go. This needs to be redone.”

Season 42 of the show kicked off on September 9, with Ryan Seacrest making his hosting debut after Pat Sajak retired from the show. Vanna praised Ryan, 49, for his dedication to keeping the show’s incredible legacy alive.

“Ryan is a professional,” the game show icon said. “We all know that he’s well-liked. He’s a kind person, he’s down-to-earth, and he’s hard-working. He’s doing a good job.”

While Vanna has a great rapport with Ryan on screen, she still keeps in contact with Pat, 77, her friend of more than four decades.

“Vanna has Pat on speed dial, and she’s been keeping him fully appraised on how Ryan is moving along,” an insider told Closer on September 20. “She thinks the world of Pat and whatever their differences in the past were, she forgives him and has a new appreciation.”

Vanna and Pat were spotted out having lunch on September 3 at California Pizza Kitchen in Encino, California, proving their friendship was still going strong even after his departure from the long-running show.

“They’ve gotten closer, Vanna and Pat. There’s no weirdness there but they are firm buddies now and Pat’s loving every bit of the drama and gossip she tells him,” the source shared. “It’s got to be an awkward situation for Ryan knowing Pat’s in the background, but Pat’s getting a ton of pleasure out of it.”

“The point is you don’t throw a 40-year friendship away,” the insider added. “They are missing each other terribly.”