Missing a day of work is normal, everyone does it, but when you’re Vanna White it’s anything but, and your absence is felt throughout the nation.
The Wheel of Fortune co-host was noticeably absent from the game show during its annual Teacher’s Week, Oct. 2 through 6. The episodes, taped back on July 27, featured 2023 California Teacher of the Year, Bridgette Donald-Blue, in White’s place.
Since White hasn’t missed a day of work since 1991, her absence was not only noticeable, but also mildly concerning. In fact, White has only missed three tapings in more than 40 years, with this instance being the third.
Does Vanna White have COVID?
Vanna White doesn’t currently have COVID, but she did when the episodes for Teacher’s Week were filmed in July. Because multiple episodes are filmed in a single day — five, to be exact — White’s absence on July 27 resulted in her being gone the entire Teacher’s Week.
Wheel of Fortune mainstay and current co-host Pat Sajak addressed White’s absence at the top of Monday’s episode, confirming COVID as the reason.
“You’ll notice Vanna is not here, and I have to say that Ms. White has tested positive for COVID. That’s the bad news,” he explained. “The good news is I talked to her just a little while ago and she feels fine. She has a little sniffle. But she tested positive and that’s the way it goes, so she will not be with us here this week.”
Sajak assuaged any worries of serious medical complications, saying White was fine and that she only had mild symptoms. Viewers can expect White to return for the week of Oct. 9 through 13, although those episodes were actually taped prior to Teacher’s Week, on July 21. The next consecutive taping took place on Aug. 10, giving White plenty of time to recover; those episodes feature the “Bed & Breakfast” theme and will air from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20.
Season 41 of Wheel of Fortune will be Sajak’s last before his successor Ryan Seacrest takes over as co-host. White will see Seacrest through the first two years of his time on the game show, as her contract was renewed and finally includes her first pay raise in 18 years.