CBS Confirms 'The Big Bang Theory' For Two More Seasons
Despite earlier speculations of cancellation, CBS now confirms that famous sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" will still go on for two more seasons - sealing it for a 12-season run for now.
A report from The Hollywood Reporter confirms that CBS and Warner Bros. television officially struck a deal to keep the show on the air.
"The Big Bang Theory" cast members Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch, who play Amy and Bernadette respectively, are until now reportedly without contracts, but the production assures fans that their characters are still going to be on the show, and that a deal regarding their pay is currently being worked on to retain the actresses.
To ensure that Bialik and Rauch will get a raise, previous reports say that some of the other stars of the show are willing to cut off portions of their pay
And true enough, the renewal of "The Big Bang Theory" also brings about renewed contract deals for Jim Parsons (Sheldon), Johnny Galecki (Leonard), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Simon Helberg (Howard) and Kunal Nayyar (Raj) who will now take home $900,000 per episode. Their pays have reportedly been cut in order to give Bialik and Rauch the raise they asked for from the show.
Bialik and Rauch each got $175,000 per episode since they signed up during the show's third season run. This is in stark contrast from the core stars of the show who reportedly get around $1 million per episode.
The expected raise for both Bialik and Rauch is pegged to bring them a pay of about $400,000 each, but it is not expected that they will get the same pay raise as the others.
The show even now remains a TV favorite as it still ranks as the number one scripted series by the number of viewers it gets among adults aged 18 to 49 and 25 to 54 years old.
In other news, the show's prequel, "Young Sheldon," was also recently confirmed to be in production and the executive producers of "The Big Bang Theory," Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro, are also working on it.
The prequel will focus on the childhood of Sheldon, the known nerd and genius in the "The Big Bang Theory." The younger Sheldon will be played by Iain Armitage ("Big Little Lies"), and Parsons will also lend his voice as the narrator of the series.