Grammer becomes highest paid TV star

Kelsey Grammer has become the highest-paid TV star ever.

He has signed a deal for two more series of Frasier that will net him more than $1.6million an episode.

The previous record was the $1million a show commanded by the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen and the cast of Friends.

Grammer has frequently said he likes to keep his salary private, but the news has leaked out to respected Hollywood trade paper Variety.

The deal with Paramount Television is for two more 24-episode seasons of his top-rated show - the 10th and 11th - going into 2004. Network NBC has already agreed to buy the series.

It means Frasier will have been on air as long as its predecessor, Cheers.
Grammer will also be able to bump up his record salary with syndication deals.

Such deals made Seinfeld much of his fortune. For although he was paid less per episode, as co-creator he was able to command a far larger slice of his show's $2billion syndication rights.

Published: 22 Jun 2001