When Wheel of Fortune’s 41st season premieres in September, everything will appear as it has for the last four decades — with Pat Sajak as the host and Vanna White flipping the letters on the game show’s big board. Next year, however, Sajak will take his leave, and White’s future is still up in the air, as she’s reportedly fighting Sony to receive her first pay raise in 18 years. Reports have indicated she’s asking that her salary be increased to $7.5 million annually — half of her colleague’s reported take-home pay — however, new sources allege that she may actually have a much larger number in mind.
Vanna White has lawyered up to secure her place as Wheel of Fortune’s co-host when Pat Sajak retires at the end of the upcoming season, and that includes asking for a pay bump. White, who has worked on the classic game show for 41 years, reportedly makes $3 million a year, not including bonuses. Sajak, meanwhile, allegedly makes five times as much at $15 million. Reports have indicated she’s looking to make half of that, and while that would more than double her current earnings, a source for People indicated her team sees $7.5 million as insultingly low. The insider said:
50 percent of Pat's salary is so outrageous that no one in their right mind could say that it’s fair. The negotiation is asking for much more than 50 percent of his salary. It's asking for the same pay — if not more.
The source claims that Vanna White’s negotiations aren’t in fact asking for half of Pat Sajak’s salary, but rather, they want her take-home pay to equal that of her colleague, if not exceed it. There’s an argument to be made for White, for sure. For one thing, she’s been with the show for over four decades, and while Sajak may carry the show as far as leading its contestants through the game, White is the face of the brand, getting at least as much screen time as her counterpart as she stands in front of the all-important puzzle board.
The amount Vanna White is asking for is certainly going to come into play as Sony decides what it wants Wheel of Fortune’s future to look like — especially if it’s true that the company feels Pat Sajak was being overpaid at $15 million. White previously expressed her wishes to stay on when her colleague retires, and the head honchos also said they had no intention of eliminating her role.
However, there may be some distrust between the two parties, as some reports said she wanted a shot at Pat Sajak’s job — or at least input on his replacement — which she apparently did not get before Ryan Seacrest was announced as Sajak’s successor. She allegedly saw that as a lack of respect from the producers, which has only been strengthened in Sony’s apprehension to pay her what she’s asking for in her new contract. Sources say she feels replaceable — a sentiment that was also supported by People’s source, who said:
Vanna was told [over the years], 'If you fight this, you will lose your job. You're lucky to have the job.' And when people tell you that for so long, you believe it.
Contract negotiations have reportedly stalled due to the writer’s strike, but Vanna White apparently came to an agreement with Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for $100,000 an episode for next season. We’ll be keeping our eyes out for any more reports from inside this situation, but in the meantime, check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, and take a peek at our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.
