Ryan Seacrest’s Contract for Wheel Of Fortune Is Already a Hot Topic

Ryan Seacrest has only been the TV host of Wheel of Fortune for three months so far, but viewers are responding favorably to the change after Pat Sajak retired. Seacrest and co-host Vanna White ushered in the most-watched entertainment show on TV for the month of September, per Nielsen ratings, via Variety.

That success has reportedly led show producers to try and lock down Seacrest for as long as he wants to host the show — but there might be a catch! “The powers that be over at Wheel of Fortune don’t want him stretched to the limit and want his full and undivided attention on the show,” a source told Closer Weekly. That exclusivity might be a hard thing to achieve because the 49-year-old TV personality likes to stay busy with American Idol, his radio show, and the upcoming Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special. 

WHEEL OF FORTUNE, (from left): Pat Sajak, Vanna White, (circa 1983), 1975-. Courtesy Everett Collection.

Seacrest has a lucrative contract that takes him through the early 2030s, per The New York Times, but there could be more in the cards for him. RadarOnline seems to think that if he “scales back” on his other projects, Seacrest stands to increase his salary substantially. “That success is going to translate into a longer-term deal than his current two-year contract and we’re talking BIG. Ryan could be the first game show host to make $50 million a year,” a source claimed to the media outlet.

Seacrest reportedly makes $28 million a year now which was a notable increase from Sajak’s $15 million a year. Still, the producers apparently want him to take a more active role behind the scenes like his predecessor did. “Back in the day, Pat was more a part of the fabric of the show behind the scenes than Ryan has the schedule or availability for. Pat would even sit in on contestant auditions and meet with advertisers because the show became his life,” the insider added.

The salaries of both Seacrest and White have become hot topics because she didn’t see a raise for 18 years, making significantly less than Sajak. With the change of guard, the Wheel of Fortune co-host hired Hollywood hotshot lawyer Bryan Freedman to negotiate her new two-year contract with a pay bump. With the newfound success of the long-running game show, the hosts deserve all the accolades — and money — coming their way.

Before you go, click here to see all of the highest paid women in Hollywood!