There is a very real possibility Vanna White could leave “Wheel of Fortune” amid a pay dispute as longtime host Pat Sajak prepares to retire, according to a report.
TMZ reported the beloved cohost of the iconic game show is asking for a pay raise that Sony Pictures Television is hesitant at the moment to offer her.
The celebrity gossip site, citing sources close to the show, reported on Friday that White has not had a pay raise in 18 years, although Entertainment Tonight reported she does receive bonuses
According to TMZ, White earns $3 million per year, but wants half of what Sajak has been earning.
Sajak reportedly earns an estimated $15 million annually to host “Wheel of Fortune”
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White, who has cohosted the show alongside Sajak since she became its regular hostess in 1982, reportedly feels it would be fair for her to earn half of his current salary, which would come out to $7.5 million a year.
White has reportedly called 50 percent of Sajak’s salary “a minimum of what is fair,” according to TMZ.
At the heart of her argument is the fact that she and Sajak are introduced before each episode of the popular game show as equals. The show’s announcer says, “Here are the stars of our show, Pat Sajak and Vanna White.”
One source reportedly close to White told TMZ, “After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer.”
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“She feels like it’s a statement for all women” to receive a bump in pay, another source said.
Meanwhile, the studio reportedly is engaged in talks with White that were described as “very difficult.” White has reportedly hired superstar entertainment attorney Bryan Freedman to negotiate on her behalf.
Freedman is currently representing former Fox News host Tucker Carlson amid his contract dispute with his former network.
Freedman is also representing both Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo against their former employer CNN.
The attorney also helped Megyn Kelly secure a massive payout from NBC after her high-profile exit from the network, Forbes reported.
According to the report, White is prepared to leave the show if indeed her requests are not met.
Vanna White ‘holding out’ for 50% of Pat Sajak’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ salary https://t.co/lo5XxaISrX pic.twitter.com/M7F1FtEPpp
— New York Post (@nypost) June 29, 2023
If she does not feel she is being treated fairly, TMZ called her exit a “real possibility.”
Sajak announced his coming retirement in early June, when he noted that the upcoming season of “Wheel of Fortune” will be his last.
Ryan Seacrest will take over the show next fall after Sajak’s final broadcast.
TMZ reported that Sony does not want to lose White during the transition.
