Vanna White ‘Wants Huge Pay Raise’ to Stay at ‘Wheel of Fortune’
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Will she stay or will she go? Vanna White is reportedly looking for a huge pay raise to remain at Wheel of Fortune.
The long-time letter turner earns $3 million a year from her role on the hit game show. But she hasn’t had a salary increase for 18 years.
Compare this to the show’s outgoing host Pat Sajak, who is said to earn around $15 million a year.
Now the syndicated show is preparing the way for Ryan Seacrest to take over as host in September 2024 after Sajak announced his retirement. And Vanna White is looking to more than double her money to appear alongside Seacrest.
According to a new report on TMZ, White’s lawyer Bryan Freedman is looking to get her half the amount Sajak makes. If he’s successful, White’s salary will increase from $3 million a year to $7.5 million.
Discussions have been going on for months, long before Sajak went public with the news that he was leaving the show. But negotiations are said to be “very difficult.”
White’s team point out that she is the co-host of the show and every episode of Wheel begins with the announcement: “Here are the stars of our show, Past Sajak and Vanna White.”
They argue that it’s unfair that there should be such a big pay disparity and it sends out a bad message about men earning more than women for essentially doing the same job.
A source connected to White reportedly told TMZ: “After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Sajak], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer.”
Wheel of Fortune bosses at Sony are mindful that White is an icon, beloved by the American public. And with Sajak leaving the show, she brings continuity especially as they get fans accustomed to seeing a new host.
Seacrest himself made his feeling clear when he announced he was succeeding Sajak. “I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White,” he said in his statement.
Wheel of Fortune pic.twitter.com/pQeTpWsPx7
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) June 27, 2023
Meanwhile Sajak has commented about the changes going on at Wheel, saying he is “looking forward to the next chapter in my life.”
“I’m looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024.”
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) June 28, 2023
In December 2022, White admitted that the thought of one day leaving the show was “depressing,” adding “it would be weird having somebody else turn my letters.”
But Wheel execs are also said to be considering eliminating White’s role altogether, as TV Insider reported. Many consider the role of a female letter turner to be somewhat dated, a relic of a bygone era. But others enjoy the coziness that White brings to the show and are alarmed at the thought of the show using a computerized letter board.
So what next for Vanna White? Stay tuned to TV Insider for all the latest news about Wheel of Fortune, and let us know whether you think she should get a pay raise in the comments section below.
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