Fans of The Simpsons will be relieved to hear that the animated series has been renewed for two more seasons.
A contract dispute with the show’s voice cast had threatened to end the series, however Fox announced it will air through seasons 24 and 25.
Negotiations over the future of The Simpsons, which began its 23rd season last month, were first reported by The Daily Beast.
Fox Television, which makes the show, said it could not continue without cutting costs and the salaries of voice actors Harry Shearer, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria.
The Hollywood Reporter, citing unidentified sources, said the actors accepted a 30% pay cut in the €6m a year that they receive for their work on The Simpsons.
Shearer said he had told producers he’d be willing to accept a 70% pay cut, but in return the actors wanted “a tiny share” of the profits.
Shearer said his representatives were told that there were “simply no circumstances under which the network would consider allowing me or any of the actors to share in the show’s success”.
Twentieth Century Fox Television spokesman Chris Alexander said he had no comment on Shearer’s statement.
Shearer added: “We’ve had a great run and no one should feel sorry for any of us” and he conceded that his salary was “ridiculous by any normal standard.
“But given how much joy the show has given so many people over the years – and given how many billions of dollars in profits News Corp has earned and will earn from it – I find it hard to believe that this is Fox’s final word on the subject.”
