'Wheel of Fortune' Star Vanna White Seeks Massive Pay Raise After Hiring an 'Aggressive' Lawyer to Negotiate Her $3 Million Contract

After four decades on the air, Vanna White, the female co-host of the popular game show, Wheel of Fortune, is aiming for a big raise after hiring a new lawyer to handle negotiations, RadarOnline.com has learned.

In light of Pat Sajak's announcement earlier this month that he'll be retiring after the show's upcoming 41st season, negotiations are now underway for White to remain on the show.

According to Puck, White has hired an "aggressive" new attorney, Bryan Freedman, who has represented Tucker Carlson, Chris Cuomo, and disgraced TV producer Mike Richards. Freedman is allegedly arguing that gender discrimination could have played a role in the discrepancies between White and Sajak's salaries.

White's agent confirmed that they are in negotiations with Sony Pictures Television, the show's producer, over a new contract. The 66-year-old Wheel of Fortune co-host is seeking a raise, noting that she has not had a pay increase in 18 years. Although she has received some bonuses in that time, she's said to be looking for something more.

White has a reported annual salary of about $3 million, nearly five times less than her male counterpart, who earns almost $15 million.

Matt Belloni of Puck News wrote, "Any increase White negotiates for the primetime show would presumably be used as precedent to get White closer to Sajak on her deal for the syndicated show. Or so she hopes."

EW confirms that no deal has been reached and that Vanna's future with the show remains uncertain.

When Sajak announced his retirement, he stated that it had been a "wonderful ride," but it was time to end his run as co-host. He will stay on board as a consultant for the next three years.

White has also been a part of the show for over four decades and has become an icon in her own right. Her fashion sense and iconic letter-turning poses have earned her a legion of fans.

Sources close to the game show claimed that the studio hopes to sign a big name to replace Sajak — one who might not even need a co-host.

Big-name TV personalities such as American Idol's Ryan Seacrest, The View's Whoopi Goldberg, and Andy Cohen have been rumored to be in the running to take over hosting duties.

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