EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! DAVE HESTER: NO PRISONERS FOR STORAGE WARS!

Dave Hester, Storage Wars, A&E Network

STORAGE WARS star DAVE HESTER unleashes blistering salvo at show that made him famous, takes a gruesome bite out of hand, he claims, is barely feeding him!

Hester says he’s ready to pack it in if he doesn’t get a big raise.

Right now, the fast-talking storage unit treasure hunter on the hit A&E show says his ne­gotiations with the network are “at a standstill” and he doesn’t know if or when they’ll start up again. The production is due to start filming the third season in a few weeks.

Although he won’t say what he makes and what he wants, sources said that Hester and his cast mates earn about $10,000 per episode, and he told The ENQUIRER: “I want as much as I can get out of them so that I can support my family and employees. It matters what my market value is, what I bring to the show.

“A&E owns the circus and we’re the elephants out here working for peanuts! A&E is making a mountain of money on our backs now and they need to share more of it with the tal­ent!”

“Storage Wars” follows a rag-tag group of treasure hunters and consignment shop owners as they bid at auctions for the contents of abandoned storage lockers, hoping they contain items worth big bucks.

Hester is one of the most popular characters, and his trademark “Yuuup!” when he bids for a unit is well-known to fans of the show.

In its first season in 2010, “Storage Wars” was A&E’s top-rated nonfiction show of the year, drawing an average of 2.8 million viewers per week.

Since then, its popularity has increased tremendously. The two-part premiere of Season 2 drew a whopping 5.1 million total viewers, making it the most-watched show in A&E history.

Hester’s cast mates, Darrell Sheets, Barry Weiss, and the team of Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante have already signed on for Season 3.

Dave, who’s been in business for 25 years, is holding out, and with no modesty, said: “If A&E doesn’t appreciate my skill level and talent – and what I brought to the show – I would hope they say, ‘Thanks, Dave, and here’s an unconditional release.’ ”