Vanna White’s “Very Difficult” Contract Negotiations Continue as She Demands 50% of Pat Sajak’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Salary: Report

Vanna White is playing hardball with Sony.

TMZ reports the Wheel of Fortune co-host is pushing the company to give her a salary raise so she makes at least 50 percent of Pat Sajak‘s yearly earnings. The co-host, who has been on the show since 1982, lawyered up ahead of her contract negotiations to secure her first salary raise in 18 years.

Sources familiar with the negotiations told TMZ she is firmly holding out for the raise with the help of her lawyer, Bryan Freedman. White currently makes $3 million per year, while Sajak makes $15 million.

White has added leverage now thanks to the recent news of Sajak’s retirement. Reports claim that his replacement, none other than Ryan Seacrest, could make $28 million a year, though his salary has not yet been publicly disclosed.

As TMZ reports, White is demanding an end to the pay disparity between her and Sajak; her lawyer is allegedly arguing that the pay discrepancies between the hosts could be a gender discrimination issue.

“After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer,” a source close to White told TMZ.

In a report from Puck News, sources stated that White actually spends more time on the Wheel set than Sajak and does more publicity for the show. It also noted that Sony’s own research found White helps attract Wheel‘s older female audience.

Though she is fighting for a raise on Wheel, Sony offered White a 20 percent raise on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, where she was previously making $55,000 per episode compared to the $300,000 salary given to Sajak.

Despite White’s Celebrity Wheel raise, sources told TMZ negotiations are becoming “very difficult.” White may be prepared to walk from the show if Sony doesn’t give her “a minimum of what is fair.”

 “She feels like it’s a statement for all women,” one source told the outlet.

Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Find local listings on the Wheel of Fortune website.