Vanna White has been the letter-turner and co-host of “Wheel of Fortune” for almost 30 years, and she is rarely absent from the show. She was only absent in a few unusual instances.
For example, after her partner died in a plane crash in 1986, she was significantly absent from the show. She, understandably, needed time to grieve. She was missing once again in 1991 when she went on her honeymoon for two weeks. This season, she will be obviously absent once more, but it will have nothing to do with her health or marriage.
White allegedly contracted COVID, which is why she will be absent from the show during the upcoming Teacher’s Week episodes, which were taped in July. Bridgette Donald-Blue, California’s “Teacher of the Year,” will take her spot on the radio and turn the letters.
What’s really going on is that White is no longer on the air as a result of contract discussions. She hasn’t had a raise in 20 years, and with Sajak retiring, she believes it’s past time.
According to insiders, the decision to have Donald-Blue fill in for White may have been made in order to persuade her lawyers to back off. According to sources, it is either a “smart producing move or a veiled message sent to White’s aggressive lawyers: Go ahead, push us harder.”
According to TMZ, White’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, is requesting that Sony pay White 50% of what host Pat Sajak is presently paid per episode. According to TMZ, Sajak earns approximately $15 million per year, whereas White has only earned $3 million per year for the past 18 years.
After this season of the renowned game show wraps, Sajak will retire. Ryan Seacrest has been named as his replacement, and programmes starring Seacrest will premiere in September 2024.
Is it surprising that White hasn’t been given a raise in 18 years? Do you believe the show’s producers are threatening White’s lawyers by having a teacher stand in for her on “Wheel of Fortune”? Do you believe White’s role justifies a pay that is half that of Sajak’s?
