Entertainment
Gritty Vanna White keeps her Wheel of Fortune job and gets raise
By Jake Beardslee · September 20, 2023
In brief…
- Vanna White renewed her Wheel of Fortune contract for two more years after negotiating a "substantial" pay raise, her first in 18 years.
- Pat Sajak is retiring at the end of this season after nearly 40 years as host. Ryan Seacrest will replace him starting 2024.
- Sajak's daughter, Maggie, will take on a more significant role, hosting a new weekly sweepstakes feature, "Fan Fridays."
- White's new deal will likely be her last, as the show looks to replace her in the next few years.
- White secured a "tremendous payday" after a tense negotiation.
After months of tense contract talks, Wheel of Fortune’s letter-turner Vanna White will remain on the iconic game show for two more years and receive a long-awaited pay raise.
The 66-year-old co-host had reportedly reached an impasse with ABC executives as she sought a raise on her $3 million salary. The renewed contract finally grants White a “substantial increase” in pay, her first in 18 years.
In contrast, White’s departing co-host, Pat Sajak, 76, has been earning a flush “$15 million per season,” TMZ reports. Sajak announced in June he would retire at the end of the show’s current season after nearly 40 years as host.
White’s continued presence aims to help “make the transition between Pat and Ryan Seacrest seamless,” an insider told DailyMail.com.
After resolving her contract issues, White appears set to continue as hostess through the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
The new deal is likely “to be her last contract,” a source said, as the show expects eventually to replace the legendary letter-turner.
Seacrest, 48, was named Sajak’s replacement last month and will commence his duties in 2024. He told Good Morning America this week that he has already begun practicing hosting at home, admitting, “I’m shouting out the puzzles, and my dog is staring at me.”
Sajak’s daughter Maggie, 28, who serves as the show’s social media correspondent, will also take on a more significant role. She will host a new weekly sweepstakes feature, “Fan Fridays,” offering viewers a chance to win “cash, vacations, and merchandise.” The gig comes after many fans expressed disappointment Maggie was passed over as her father’s replacement in favor of Seacrest.