Catt Sadler is claiming victory.
Eighteen months after she quit “E! News” because her male counterpart was getting paid nearly twice her salary, Sadler tells Page Six that she’s now on course to earn what she felt she should have been getting paid.
Sadler — who’s now weaving together a raft of her own projects with freelance work — says that the terrifying decision to leave the network in December 2017 after 12 years has paid off both emotionally and financially.
“I took a leap of faith truly based on the principle of right from wrong and, of course, having to know — and by the way, it took a lot of soul searching — my worth,” Sadler told us. “I had to bet on myself. Can I go out and do other work and build and create … and continue to pay my bills and make what I should be making?”
Sadler is now developing a TV show for TNT, has a website and a YouTube channel, does one-off hosting gigs like the recent livestream of the Vanity Fair Oscar party red carpet, and books public speaking work, among other projects.
When we asked if — after more than a year of trying to build her own business — she thinks she’s going to be able to reach the figure that she decided she’s worth, she said, “Unequivocally, yes. Like, yes. And I feel that that’s almost been a reward in and of itself. Because we could be having a conversation a year and a half [after she left the network] and I’d had to move and I couldn’t pay my car payment. It could have gone the other direction, and let’s just say it hasn’t at all. I’m comfortable and I’m grateful, and I’m right on track financially with where I should be.”
The veteran host is about to launch her podcast “Naked With Catt Sadler” on June 6, and she tells Page Six exclusively that in the first six episodes, she’ll be interviewing Olivia Munn, journalist Lisa Ling, podcaster Sazan Hendrix, country star Jana Kramer, hairstylist Justine Marjan and We Wore What fashion blogger Danielle Bernstein. She’s also taping an episode with Jennifer Lawrence.