BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.

[tpirfan28]

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.

Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

[weaklink75]

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.

Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2019/12/06/vanna-white-hosting-wheel-of-fortune-for-the-first-time-was-very-scary-for-me/amp/

[rebelwrest]

Since the show usually tapes 6 episodes in a session (with the 6th episode's theme being "America's Game" and for air sometime later in the season), did they only tape 5 episodes in each of the session where Vanna hosted?

[cmjb13]

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.

Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

I’m wondering why they didn’t ask Chuck Woolery to step in to host.

[jjman920]

Since the show usually tapes 6 episodes in a session (with the 6th episode's theme being "America's Game" and for air sometime later in the season), did they only tape 5 episodes in each of the session where Vanna hosted?

Yes. In the case of the episodes starting on the 9th, these are specially themed Christmas episodes with a Christmas set and the Secret Santa contest. Traditionally, these weeks were only five show weeks already since the set would be confusing showing up weeks later. In the case of the 3rd week coming in January, they cancelled one of the tapings of the day to record only five, so there'd be no stragglers in an America's Game week.

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.

Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

I’m wondering why they didn’t ask Chuck Woolery to step in to host.

I'm sure he's asking his tinfoil hat the same question.

[TimK2003]

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.

Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

There are only three other former "hostesses" that I could think of, besides Susan Stafford, that could be turning the letters:

•  Summer Bartholomew -- 37 years after her last Wheel stint...
•  Lesley Brown aka Mrs. Pat Sajak -- though she would likely be with Pat through the whole post-op ordeal.
•  *THE* Longshot...Lucy from Wheel 2000.

That seems to put Stafford as the favorite.

[ChrisLambert!]

there’s nothing in the wording of “nice surprise” that should lead us to assume it’s a returning letter-turner.

EDIT: throwing out my wild guess: Wendi McLendon-Covey.

[TLEberle]

There are only three other former "hostesses" that I could think of, besides Susan Stafford, that could be turning the letters:

•  Lesley Brown aka Mrs. Pat Sajak -- though she would likely be with Pat through the whole post-op ordeal.

"Almost certainly!"
"CHARGE!"

[WilliamPorygon]

Maybe they'll bring back the winner of that "Vanna for a Day" contest from a few years back who really only got to be Vanna for half of one episode.

[WarioBarker]

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.

Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

[link snipped]

And that week is scheduled to air starting January 6, which just so happens to be Wheel's 45th Anniversary.

[aaron sica]

According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

Here's one out of left field..........Same surname, but no relation........Betty White.

[clemon79]

Imma go with Gilbert Gottfried in drag, mainly because I would watch the hell out of that.

/eagerly awaiting the first dumbass comment

[nowhammies10]

Dan, you know as well as I do that Wheel will not be acknowledging daytime's 45th anniversary.  The only parts of daytime Wheel that are acknowledged these days are Pat's debut, Vanna's "test" debut, and Vanna's "official" debut episodes.

ObTopic: According to two posters familiar with Wheel's inner workings at BAV, the week airing January 6th-10th taped on November 22nd.  Vanna hosted, no audience was present save for contestants and their guests "to help calm [Vanna's] nerves."  The details of who revealed the letters is being kept "under strict confidentiality", but they do say that the person in question was not Susan Stafford.

/damn near typed "who turned the letters" like it's 1997 or something.

[Jeremy Nelson]

My money is on one of her kids at the board. The taping is closed to help her with the jitters, so it would make sense to put her on camera with someone who she has talked to naturally for years.

[PPatters]

My money is on one of her kids at the board. The taping is closed to help her with the jitters, so it would make sense to put her on camera with someone who she has talked to naturally for years.

I had the same exact guess. Founded on nothing except it just would kind of make sense haha