Ryan Seacrest Praises Vanna White as an “Institution” on ‘Wheel of Fortune’

Ryan Seacrest is opening up about what working with his Wheel of Fortune co-star Vanna White is really like. White has been part of the iconic American TV game show since 1982, which makes her the perfect person to help Seacrest adjust to his new role.

Seacrest took over as the host of Wheel of Fortune in September 2024 following Pat Sajak’s retirement. According to the American TV presenter, White’s presence on set immediately made him feel at home.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Seacrest credited White with helping him learn the ropes. In Seacrest’s exact words: “She’s an institution, an icon.” The TV host shared how generous White is, which might not always be evident on camera. Seacrest recalled confiding in his cohost about his habit of drinking strong black coffee, which sometimes visibly stains his teeth. The next day, White surprised him by bringing a pack of whitening strips. Seacrest admitted that he was genuinely touched by the kind gesture.

We’ve Had a Magical Time Together

In a previous interview with PEOPLE, Seacrest expressed his admiration for Vanna White and confessed that he couldn’t imagine the game show without her. The new Wheel of Fortune host added that while he has known Vanna for two decades, they have gotten closer while shooting together. Seacrest revealed he texted White the day he signed his contract to share his excitement about working with her. “We’ve had a magical time together,” added the host.

The Wheel of Fortune host appeared on the December 31, 2024, episode of Good Morning America. During the interview, Seacrest talked about hosting ABC’s annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. While dishing on the festivities of the evening, Seacrest opened up about his dating life.

The topic came up when ABC’s Rebecca Jarvis talked about how many people propose in Times Square after the New Year’s countdown. Her co-host Will Reeve jokingly added that he should have proposed on New Year’s Eve with Seacrest hosting. That’s when Seacrest jumped in to say: “There’s still time for me.”

Ryan Seacrest Shares Update on His Dating Life

He later added that he wasn’t looking to rush things and was taking his time with love. The news comes a few months after Seacrest broke up with model Aubrey Paige back in April 2024 after dating for three years. At the time, an insider told PEOPLE that the former couple had parted ways on a good note and that they still remained good friends.

However, another source told Closer Weekly that the two called it quits because of Seacrest’s busy work schedule. According to the insider, Paige wanted to get married and have kids, while Seacrest wasn’t ready for that. 2024 marked Seacrest’s 20th year as a host on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. But even with his years of experience, the host admitted that there’s always chaos going on behind the scenes that viewers never know about. Wheel of Fortune Season 42 airs weeknights on ABC. Episodes are also available to stream on YouTube TV in the U.S./