Celebrity Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White opens up about long-term romance with John Donaldson

Vanna White, the enduring presence on Wheel of Fortune, has spoken plainly about her steady companionship with John Donaldson, a bond that stretches over thirteen years without the formalities others might seek.

In a recent exchange with E! News, she laid out the simplicity of their arrangement. She said,

“We’re very happy. We’ve been together for a long time, and we are just happy the way it is.”​

The conversation turned to marriage, a topic fans have watched for years, but White dismissed any rush toward ceremony. She said,

“Maybe people want to see us get married. When you’ve been with someone for so long, you kind of feel like you’re already married. You don’t have to have that piece of paper.”

Donaldson, a real estate developer who founded JDC Construction + Development Group, entered her life in 2012, introduced by a friend at one of her barbecues.

She recalled the moment with clarity: 

“I remember looking at him and thinking, ‘He's really cute.’ We ended up talking for a long time that night.”​

Their path avoids the tempests that trouble other pairings. “It just works,” White has noted of their dynamic. 

“He lets me be me, I let him be him. There is no drama.”

She describes him as “the male version of me,” underscoring a likeness that binds without strain. 

“We really connect well. He's easygoing and allows me to be myself, just as I allow him to be who he is.”​

Celebrity Wheel of Fortune icon balances show and steady love

Wheel of Fortune still shapes Vanna White’s everyday spotlight moments - she flips tiles with Ryan Seacrest, who took over once Pat Sajak left in 2024.

She addressed their partnership directly, easing early doubts about on-air harmony. She said, 

“We get along great. I think our chemistry is good. He’s such a nice guy and so professional and hardworking, and we gel.”

After seasons together, the rhythm feels established. “It feels like it’s been forever,” she added.​

White's tenure on Wheel of Fortune spans four decades, a record etched in television history, yet her private steadiness with Donaldson anchors the off-camera hours.

Now and then, bits of their life show up - usually around holidays or charity events.

They showed up at the 2016 Chrysalis Butterfly Ball, then hit the 2017 Brent Shapiro Foundation summer bash, and later joined the 2019 Race to Erase MS gathering, walking together through the busy scenes.

Instagram posts capture rarer family moments, with White, Donaldson, and her children—Nicholas “Nikko” Pietro, 31, and Giovanna “Gigi” Pietro, 28—from her marriage to George Santo Pietro, which ended amicably in 2002.​

Holidays bring their own patterns, woven into the fabric of their years. White shared,

“We always go to Hawaii for Christmas vacation. It’s warm and tropical, and it’s a good way to get away from a big city.”

Family rituals persist despite the children's ages. “I always wrap presents,” she explained. 

“On Christmas Eve, we get to open one gift, and then we have to wait for Christmas Day to open the rest of them. It’s always been that way.”

She fills stockings as if Santa still calls, a touch that delights. 

“Christmas is special for everyone, especially for family, and I don’t care what age you are, it’s fun.”​

Wheel of Fortune filmed a special in Waikiki this year, blending work with island air, where White danced hula and changed outfits swiftly under the sun.

Donaldson stays out of the spotlight, yet their shared ease shows in these steady beats. White has weighed marriage before, in 2023, telling People, 

“We've been together for 12 years… Is marriage necessary? No, because we are comfortable in our relationship. I know he’s the one for me, and he knows I’m the one for him.”

Recent words echo that calm:

“We don't really talk about it, but you never know. I mean, I guess we could, but in my eyes and his eyes, we are married.”​

Earlier pairings shaped White's course before Donaldson. She wed Santo Pietro in 1990, announcing her pregnancies on Wheel of Fortune with puzzles that spelled out the news—first for Nikko in 1992, then Gigi in 1997.

A brief turn with businessman Michael Kaye followed the divorce, but Donaldson arrived as the lasting turn.

Their appearances together, from 2016 holiday snaps to 2020 New Year's posts with the family, mark time without fanfare.​

Wheel of Fortune's demands tested White's resolve last year, as she pondered retirement when Sajak left. She said,

“Working with someone for that long, I feel like I should maybe go with him. I thought hard and thought, ‘You know what? I'm just not ready to retire yet. I'm having fun. I feel good. I feel healthy.’”

A two-year contract followed, securing her place through 2026. Chemistry with Seacrest solidified after travel and rehearsals. She said,

“I've known Ryan for about 20 years, but over the last few months, we've traveled together for the show and gotten to know each other better, so I believe our chemistry is solid. I had no clue what to anticipate after being accustomed to working with one person for so long. I was quite apprehensive, but he's performing wonderfully.”​

Donaldson's role remains quiet support amid Wheel of Fortune's whirl. White offers counsel on endurance from their example. She advised,

“Don't enter a relationship out of loneliness; if you're unhappy, you’ll still feel lonely. Be true to yourself, and don’t let anyone alter who you are. It’s wonderful when someone appreciates you for who you are and doesn’t wish to change you. It should be effortless.”

Their story unfolds without puzzles left unsolved.​

Stay tuned for more updates.