We’re at the one-year anniversary of the twin announcements that A) Ryan Seacrest would take over hosting Wheel of Fortune once Pat Sajak retired after Season 41, and B) National Treasure Vanna White hadn’t had a raise in 18 years. They were not news items we wanted to hear together, the fear being that Wheel bosses would want to debut a new co-host alongside Seacrest. Luckily, Vanna hired a ballbuster lawyer who negotiated a two-year contract with a raise. So the only question that remained was: what on earth would the chemistry be like between Vanna and Ryan? I’m expecting stilted and awkward. It’ll be a while before we know, as the next season doesn’t have a premiere date yet. But the season has already begun filming, and someone has put the word out that Vanna is having a hard time with Ryan:
With Ryan Seacrest set to replace Pat Sajak in the new season of Wheel of Fortune, some sources say there may be even more changes coming to the long-running game show than initially expected.
A recent report from The Daily Mail alleges that Vanna White may be looking to leave the show even sooner than expected, despite spending months fighting for a much deserved raise and contract extension.
A source told The Daily Mail that White is reportedly finding it “difficult” to continue without Sajak.
“There is a part of her that wants to walk away sooner. It is just so difficult to do this without Pat,” the source said. “Vanna feels that she has put her time in. She devoted her entire life to this show and she had an incredible run while making a fortune.”
And now that the show is heading in a new direction with Seacrest, white is allegedly having second thoughts about staying on with the new host.
“She knows that the show needs to go in a different direction and appeal to a younger demographic. She wants the show to continue. This will require a younger female host, someone who can be to Ryan what she was to Pat,” the source said.
Another source also claimed that she’s having trouble working with Seacrest.
“She just doesn’t jibe with Ryan like she did with Pat, and no one really ever expected her to. There is just no way that she possibly could,” the source said.
Previous reports claim that Sony execs are hoping to make White’s current contract her last after the model and longtime Wheel co-host recently negotiated her first raise in almost 18 years. Negotiations reportedly became tense after White lawyered up and demanded “the same pay — if not more” than what Sajak was making on the show.
In September, it was announced that White officially extended her contract for two more years, which means she will certainly be at Seacrest’s side when he takes over in Season 42. Deadline confirmed White received a “believed” raise for both Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Wheel of Fortune.
I don’t know about you, but I find “It is just so difficult to do this without Pat,” to be demeaning to Vanna. Yes, they worked together for 40 years and that means something, and Vanna was definitely emotional in her goodbye to Pat. But she’s also a professional! It’s not like she was only able to reveal letters because Pat was in the room! After all the steps Vanna took last year to secure a better contract — where she was only asking for half of Sajak’s salary, not the same or more like they said above — I find it hard to believe that the same woman would wither so quickly in the presence of a new colleague. What, is she getting weepy when a ‘P’ pops up? Come on. And as for those “younger direction” comments, let’s be honest about the math: Seacrest is closer in age to Vanna than he is to his most recent, now ex-girlfriend. Remember Aubrey Paige, the 26-year-old he made pay her own way when they went on vacations together? Yeah, so if Vanna is having a hard time with Seacrest over anything, I’d sooner believe it’s over him demanding she make her own arrangements for walking out on stage, instead of extending an arm the way Sajak did.