It’s been one year since Pat Sajak left Wheel of Fortune after hosting the iconic game show for 43 years. Now, Vanna White’s future with Wheel of Fortune might be in jeopardy as well, according to insiders who claim that the game show’s backstage has descended into chaos.
White’s contract is up at the end of the current season. Her upcoming contract negotiations could mark the end of 43 co-hosting Wheel of Fortune for her, should she decide to ask for more money.
White’s Future In Jeopardy
Wheel of Fortune bosses are reportedly happy with the current ratings being garnered by the show. However, they are adamant about not increasing White’s pay at all, if she decides to ask for another raise.
“The big change was from Pat to Ryan, and for a moment execs were considering getting rid of Vanna, but in the next negotiations, if Vanna stays on the same page, then they will likely offer a few more years at the same rate,” an insider told Daily Mail.
“They are happy to keep her around, but if she pushes for more, then they might start thinking about a replacement,” the source added.
White ‘Doesn’t Have Much Leverage’
When Sajak announced that he was leaving Wheel of Fortune, White enlisted the help of celebrity attorney Bryan Freedman to negotiate her first raise in 18 years. During that time, she was making $3 million a year while Sajak was making $15 million.
White was initially at a stalemate with producers. However, after they agreed to a “substantial increase” in her salary, she signed on for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. It’s been reported that White now makes $10 million a year on Wheel of Fortune.
“Vanna knows what she is working with and knows she doesn’t have that much leverage,” the insider explained. “But she’s currently having her agents and lawyers deal with it before any type of public griping happens.”
White: ‘I’m Sticking To My Guns’
After signing her new contract, White admitted that it wasn’t easy for her to read reports about her salary negotiations in the media.
“It was because people just have rumors,” she told People Magazine at the time. “Everything is so blown out of proportion, not just with my stuff, with everybody’s stuff.”
White was quick to add that she is a “strong person,” so she didn’t let the rumors get to her.
“I’m not going to do anything I don’t want to do or that I don’t believe in,” White emphatically stated. “My mother taught me that at a young age and I’m sticking to my guns.”
White Is ‘Not Ready To Retire’
Once Sajak retired, White admitted that she’d considered doing so as well. However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that she wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet.
“Of course it’s a thought,” White confessed about retirement in 2023. “It’s like, ‘Well, wait, if you’re leaving, what am I going to do? How can I stay without you?’ It was a very hard decision for me to make, because it definitely crossed my mind.”
“It’s like, ‘I just don’t know if I can do this without you,’ but I thought about it and I’m not ready to retire, so I am staying on,” she concluded.
White is a true legend who has played a huge role in making Wheel of Fortune as popular as it is for decades. This season, she’s still co-hosting Wheel of Fortune with Ryan Seacrest, who replaced Sajak.
Here’s hoping that Wheel of Fortune executives see White’s value and do everything they can to convince her to sign on for more seasons. In the end, Wheel of Fortune simply wouldn’t be the same without Vanna White!