"Wheel of Fortune" co-host Vanna White reportedly hasn't received a raise in 18 years
Long-time Wheel of Fortune co-host Vanna White reportedly hasn’t received a pay raise in 18 years.
Yes, you read that right. The TV personality — who has graced the show with her presence since 1982 — hasn’t received a raise in nearly two decades.
Multiple sources told US digital media company Puck that White currently makes about $3 million a year on Wheel of Fortune, while now-retired host Pat Sajak made almost five times as much.
And with Sajak announcing his retirement from the hosting gig, White is fighting to negotiate for more, a Sony TV source told Puck.
Wheel of Fortune/Facebook
According to TMZ, sources say the 66-year-old host won’t continue on Wheel of Fortune unless she makes at least half of what Sajak had been making.
And she’s hired prominent entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman, who has represented Michael Jackson’s estate, to help her secure the bag.
“After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer,” one source close to White told TMZ.
Sony Pictures Television has declined to comment, according to People.
In the meantime, the game show has found Sajak’s successor.
Earlier this week, Wheel of Fortune announced that Ryan Seacrest would be taking over.
“I am truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest tweeted on Tuesday.
Wheel of Fortune pic.twitter.com/pQeTpWsPx7
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) June 27, 2023
“Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition,” he added.
Seacrest shared that one of his first jobs was hosting a “little game show” called Click 25 years ago. The show was made by Merv Griffin, who also created Wheel of Fortune.