LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ever since beloved ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak announced his retirement, fans have been eagerly speculating about who is going to replace the charmer host on the game show. On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, the producers of the show finally revealed that Ryan Seacrest, the renowned host of ‘American Idol’, will be ushering in the next era as Sajak’s successor when he retires in June 2024. While this came surprising to many, Sajak’s co-host Vanna White took the opportunity to make a big move herself.
On Tuesday, the producers of the game show announced that Ryan Seacrest will replace Pat Sajak on ‘Wheel of Fortune’, while host Vanna White, who has been in association with the game show for over 40 years now, will continue. The big news was announced on ‘Wheel of Fortune’s official Instagram page. Seacrest also took to his Instagram to share the exciting news. Although fans speculated Sajak’s successor to either be his daughter Maggie Sajak or co-host Vanna White, the 66-year-old made a big move as she finally asked for a “pay increase” which she hadn’t had in the last 18 years.
Is Vanna White's future at ‘Wheel of Fortune’ over?
Following the huge revelation of the future of ‘Wheel of Fortune’, White reportedly made a big career move after 18 years. According to a previous report by Puck News, Sony executives had considered eliminating White's role on 'Wheel of Fortune' if the new host turned out to be an established figure. The report stated, "Vanna 'hasn’t had a pay increase in 18 years.'" “Now with Pat leaving, Vanna has hired an aggressive new lawyer and is finally asking for more,” a source said, as per the report. White’s current earnings were reported to be around “$3 million a year for her duties on the syndicated Wheel, as per various sources,” the report stated.
While Sajak's income was claimed to be significantly higher. “Sajak makes almost five times as much,” the report said, adding, “She has reportedly hired high-powered and tenacious litigator Bryan Freedman.” The lawyer represented disgraced ‘Jeopardy!’ producer-turned-brief host Mike Richards to “sort out the pay discrepancy.”
In response to the report, a Sony representative told TV Line, "There is no plan to eliminate Vanna's role." “Sony is in active discussions to renew Vanna’s deal beyond her current contract,” the representative added.
White’s contract is set to expire in 2024, and she had previously expressed her desire to continue working. She stated, "That's depressing. I don't even want to think about it.” She emphasized on her love for her job and said, “It's incredible. I cannot believe it's been 40 years. Honestly, I've loved every minute of it. Who still says they love their job after 40 years? Me!"
‘Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna White is here to stay
According to The Daily Mail, as Season 40 of 'Wheel of Fortune' introduced a new puzzle board that Vanna White no longer technically controls, both fans and White herself expressed their desire for her to continue on the show. A source stated, "The next year is going to be quite the ride, and Vanna wants to be a part of it all even after he [Pat Sajak] leaves, and she hopes they don’t force her out.”
The insider added that Vanna "doesn’t want to leave Wheel of Fortune even after Pat’s retirement announcement, and she would highly consider taking over his role as host on the show.”
The source further revealed that White is committed for the long term and added, "Vanna is 'in it for the long haul' and 'would like to be a part of the selection process for Pat’s replacement because if it is up to her, she is in it forever.'"
White's decision to hire Freedman was reportedly aimed at addressing the pay discrepancy issue.
