Ryan Seacrest’s massive 'Wheel of Fortune' salary revealed — oh, it’s nearly 5 times Vanna White’s pay
For more than four decades the "Wheel of Fortune" had become synonymous with Pat Sajak as its face, and generations grew up seeing him as an iconic host. Following Sajak's retirement from the "Wheel of Fortune," the show welcomed Ryan Seacrest as the new host. Despite efforts to maintain the show's quality, rumors persist about tensions behind the scenes between Sajak's long-time co-host, Wanna White and Seacrest. White who worked alongside Sajak for more than four decades is said to be facing issues under Seacrest's lead. According to the Daily Mail, some insiders have said that White might be considering an early exit from the show before her contract expires, as she is finding the change in dynamics very difficult. This rift is also attributed to the pay disparity between the two with Seacrest getting a whopping $28 million while White only gets $9 million. Vanna White had hosted "Wheel of Fortune" since 1982, and had a stellar 42-year run.
Incumbent presenter Seacrest is earning almost five times the salary that White gets, according to Irish Star. Moreover, an insider told RadarOnline that the two have also been having some creative differences. "They started taping in late May and Vanna has tried to give Ryan advice and show him the ropes," the insider said.
"But Ryan is a control freak. He finally told her he's doing things his way and he's not trying to be Pat Sajak! " they added, before clarifying, "It's not that (Vanna) doesn't like Ryan, but her chemistry with Pat was just much more natural. With Ryan, it feels forced and she doesn't want that to come across to loyal viewers - and producers fear the audience will notice it as well."
Back in September, White talked about hosting the show with Seacrest to CBS Sunday Mornings. The longtime game show host admitted that she did feel a bit "scared" considering that she had worked with Sajak for so long. "I think our chemistry is good," White said about Seacrest. "I had no idea what to expect when I’m used to one person for so long. I was very scared, but he’s doing a great job," she added. "I’ve known Ryan for probably 20 years," White mentioned further. "But in the past couple of months, we’ve done some traveling together for the show, and we got to know each other a little better, too," she expressed.
Seacrest was announced as Sajak's replacement shorting after Sajak announced his retirement back in June 2023. “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” Seacrest said in a statement after the announcement, through The Hollywood Reporter. "Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition … I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White," he added. Following that, White and Seacrest signed a two-year contract extension to continue as co-hosts of the syndicated game show through the 2025-26 season.
