In a thrilling turn of events for fans who have been following Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy for decades (me!), Vanna White is set to compete as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune, after 25 years of being its letter-turning icon.
During this May 10th event, Vanna will be competing against Jeopardy!’s co-hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.
Dubbed “Ultimate Host Night,” this special event will be included in the upcoming Celebrity Wheel of Fortune episodes, airing at 9 p.m. ET. ABC recently shared the exhilarating news in a statement, revealing that the contestants will be playing for charity. Vanna will be representing St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Ken will be playing for the Equal Justice Initiative, and Mayim for the Mental Wealth Alliance.
Vanna had previously appeared as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune in 1997, alongside Pat Sajak. During that episode, the legendary Alex Trebek, who hosted Jeopardy! from 1984 until his death in 2020, took over as the host of Wheel. In this upcoming special, Pat Sajak will be back in the hosting seat, as confirmed by a promotional photo shared on Instagram, which has since been removed.
Loyal viewers of Jeopardy! have been expressing their concerns about the show’s ratings after a series of less than impressive games. Despite these concerns, fans are eagerly anticipating the unique spectacle of seeing Ken and Mayim spin the wheel for the first time.
Fans of both game shows are excited for this crossover, with some expressing their enthusiasm on social media. One fan said, “Vanna, Ken, and Mayim spinning the wheel… that will be a Celebrity Wheel of Fortune to watch!” Others shared their preference for Ken as the Jeopardy! host, while acknowledging Mayim’s intellect.
As Ken just wrapped his final week hosting Jeopardy! before his scheduled hiatus, Mayim is set to return on May 1 and take the reins for the next four months.
Concurrently, Ken will be hosting Jeopardy! Masters in primetime on ABC for three weeks, starting on May 8. This special edition will feature legendary contestants like Mattea, Amy Schneider, and James Holzhauer. The unique Wheel of Fortune episode featuring the game show hosts will air one hour after Jeopardy! Masters on the same network.
