Catt Sadler Exits E! News Over "Massive" Pay Disparity

8:28 AM PST 12/20/2017 by Lexy Perez

Amanda Edwards/WireImage
Catt Sadler

The 'E! News' and 'Daily Pop' anchor publicly addressed her abrupt departure Tuesday, claiming the network has failed to pay her fairly.

Catt Sadler has left E! News after claiming she has received a "massive disparity in pay" in a revealing statement posted Tuesday.

Sharing details about her abrupt departure on her blog, the anchor expressed her hurt and shock after learning her E! co-anchor Jason Kennedy makes “double” her pay, something she was unaware of until pulling double duty as host of the network’s live show Daily Pop and E! News.  

As she claimed on her website, Sadler found her double hosting duties as “creatively challenging but genuinely one of the most fulfilling years of my professional career." However, during that period, Sadler learned of a wage gap existing between her and Kennedy when discussing a renewal of her contract.

“An executive from E! brought something alarming to my attention — namely, that there was a massive disparity in pay between my similarly situated male co-host and myself,” Sadler wrote. “Most recently, when E! reached out to renew and extend my deal, I learned that he wasn't just making a little more than I was. In fact, he was making close to double my salary for the past several years.”

Sadler, 43, also mentioned how she and her “TV husband” Kennedy, 36, began their careers with the network in the same time frame, cultivating success alongside each other.

Sadler writes: “I so lovingly refer to him as my 'tv husband' and I mean it. But how can I operate with integrity and stay on at E! if they’re not willing to pay me the same as him? Or at least come close? How can I accept an offer that shows they do not value my contributions and paralleled dedication all these years? How can I not echo the actions of my heroes and stand for what is right no matter what the cost? How can I remain silent when my rights under the law have been violated?"

Sadler emphasized that a gender pay gap continues to remain an issue in the workforce, something she and her team fought hard to overcome, but were “denied repeatedly.”

“Information is power. Or it should be," she writes. "We are living in a new era. The gender pay gap is shrinking, although admittedly we have a long way to go. And well, I learned this first hand.”

While Sadler, who has worked at E! for nearly 12 years, assures that the decision to leave her friends at the studio was difficult, she advises readers to know their worth. She then turned talk to the current climate.

“It's scary," she says. "I am a single mother of two boys. The unknown can be terrifying, but it can also be the most beautiful gift. Countless brave women have come forward this year to speak their truth. Females refuse to remain silent on issues that matter most because without our voices, how will we invoke lasting change? How can we make it better for the next generation of girls if we do not stand for what is fair and just today?”

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, an E! spokesperson said on behalf of both the network and Kennedy, “E! compensates employees fairly and appropriately based on their roles, regardless of gender. We appreciate Catt Sadler’s many contributions at E! News and wish her all the best following her decision to leave the network.” 

Sadler said she is hopeful about her future prospects and hopes with her exit, she can be an “agent for change.”

The anchor had her final day on both E! News and Daily Pop Tuesday, expressing both her sadness and gratitude for the praise she has received after publicly addressing her decision on Twitter. 

Kennedy also shared his somber goodbye, documenting his decade-long co-host’s final day on set.