Vanna White Temporarily Out At ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Due To COVID Amid Contract Negotiations

etcanada.com:

“Wheel of Fortune” fans will be missing Vanna White. According to TVLine, the iconic game show star will be temporarily missing from the show during its annual “Teachers Week” block set to air this October. READ MORE: Vanna White Hires ‘Aggressive’ Attorney To Secure Big ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Raise After Pat Sajak Retirement: Report White reportedly came down with COVID while the block of episodes were filming in late July, and she will be replaced as letter turner for the week by California-based “Teacher of the Year” recipient Bridgette Donald-Blue.

It would be the first time in more than 30 years that White will be replaced with someone else on the show, and the news comes amid reportedly tense contract negotiations.

The last time White was absent from the show was in 1991, when Tricia Gist filled in while White was sick with a cold. Earlier that same year, Gist had filled in during White’s two-week honeymoon with George San Pietro. READ MORE: Ryan Seacrest Confirmed To Replace Pat Sajak As New ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Host White was also absent from the show for a spell in 1986 while grieving the death of boyfriend John Gibson in a plane crash.

In 2019 and 2023, Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie briefly took over White’s role as letter turner, while White herself filled in as host in 2019 and as a contestant in 2023.