'Wheel of Fortune': Will Vanna White remain on the show once Ryan Seacrest takes over?
White reportedly wants half of Pat Sajak's salary to continue in her letter-turning co-host role.
Vanna White and Pat Sajak have presented TV's Wheel of Fortune together since President Reagan was in office. So with Sajak's announcement this month that he'll depart the show next year, fans have to wonder whether White will continue to turn the letters.
Well, the good news is that she is in negotiations to stay on Wheel after Ryan Seacrest, who has been named Sajak's replacement, begins his tenure. (Seacrest even said after the announcement that he "couldn't wait" to work "alongside the great Vanna White.") A source close to the situation also tells People that Sony Pictures Television "would like to have her back," which is the opposite of an earlier report from Puck that her job could be eliminated.
That doesn't mean White is unwilling to play hardball. According to a TMZ report, she wants her annual salary of $3 million more than doubled before she agrees to stay. A source told the outlet that so far bargaining had been "very difficult."
While White's required salary might seem like a lot, consider that she's only asking for at least half of what Sajak is making — a whopping $15 million a year, as long ago as 2016. It was further revealed this week that White hadn't received a pay raise in 18 years, and that she had hired a lawyer to negotiate a renewal of her contract, which expires just as Sajak departs the role that many thought White herself would fill.
In her current negotiations, a TMZ source said, "She feels like it's a statement for all women."
Reps for White and the show did not immediately respond to Yahoo's requests for comment.
