Niles marriage boosts Frasier's ratings

More than 21 million Americans have tuned in to Frasier to see the wedding of Daphne and Niles.

The long-awaited event gave the show its best ratings for more than two years when it returned for its 10th series on Tuesday.

Veteran British actress Millicent Martin - known for her role in Sixties satire That Was The Week That Was - made a guest appearance as Daphne's mum.

However, the critics were not enamoured with the series debut, calling it "flat, almost tired," with "not enough laughs".

Last month star Kelsey Grammer did admit the series was approaching its "natural conclusion" - but few shows can guarantee such a large audience.

Last year he signed a £1.1million-an-episode deal to continue the sitcom for this season and the next, and in the process became the best-paid performer on TV.

This week's good figures also helped network NBC launch two new sitcoms, In-Laws and Hidden Hills, either side of Frasier.

Published: 26 Sep 2002