Vanna White, the iconic game show fixture, has secured a significant raise for her role on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, but her pay for the regular show remains uncertain.
Currently in negotiations to stay on the show amid Pat Sajak’s impending exit, White reportedly reached the deal through her attorney, whose previous clients include notable figures in the entertainment industry.
The agreement is worth $100,000 per episode, a substantial increase from her previous contract. However, this deal only applies to Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, a 13-episode spinoff that premiered last year featuring 27 celebrities.
Longtime game show fixture Vanna White has negotiated a raise for her role on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune after partner Pat Sajak’s retirement announcement, a new report has revealed – however, her pay for the regular show remains up in the air
Currently in talks to stay on the show amid Pat Sajak’s fast-approaching exit at the end of the season, the Wheel of Fortune vixen reportedly reached the deal through her attorney, and is now set to rake in $100,000 an episode for the second season of the game show spinoff
While this is a significant win for White, who has not received a raise in 18 years, talks regarding her payment for the actual show remain stalled. She currently takes home $3 million per year, a fraction of Sajak’s $15 million salary.
As previously reported, White is seeking 50% of Sajak’s salary, and likely asked for half of his weekly $400,000 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune paycheck as well.
Following intense negotiations between showrunners and White’s lawyer, she settled on the $100,000 per episode deal, which sources described as a “meaningful bump” from her previous contract.
Despite this resolution, pay talks concerning White’s long-held role on the regular show are still up in the air, sources revealed.
Sajak, meanwhile, is set to depart at the end of the upcoming season, with his already tapped successor, Ryan Seacrest, set to make a staggering $28 million per year.
White, who stepped up as replacement presenter for the first time after decades of board duty in 2019, now feels undervalued and is seeking increased compensation.
White was 25 years old when she began as the co-host opposite Sajak, now 76 – who announced his retirement in June
Sajak, meanwhile, is set to depart the end of the upcoming season, with his already tapped successor, Ryan Seacrest, set to make a cool $28million per year
The studio, Sony, rejected the idea of having a third party evaluate the importance of Sajak and White’s roles on the show to determine a fair figure, sources revealed.
Instead, the studio believes Sajak was overpaid by the end of his 48-year career, making the $15 million marker meaningless to the ongoing talks.
As the situation unfolds, White’s lawyer, Freedman, continues to fight for increased compensation for the beloved game show fixture.
Freedman’s past clients include notable figures in the entertainment industry, such as Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Gabrielle Union, Chris Harrison, and more.
The current season of Wheel of Fortune is scheduled to wrap up at the end of the month, with a date for the upcoming season yet to be set.