Want to know why television star Shelley Long Leave Cheers? American sitcom Cheers has been one of the most iconic shows of all time! The NBC sitcoms had a successful run of 11 long seasons and ran for as many as 275 half-hour episodes! Creative geniuses James Burrows and Glen and Les Charles created the sitcom. The sitcom reportedly had a whopping 117 Primetime Emmy nominations, out of which it bagged 27 winning titles. While fans loved the plot line of the show, Ted Danson and Shelley Long rose to huge fame and success as they played romantic interests in Cheers.
Cheers creators Glen and Les Charles, and James Burrows have taken the example of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as they might have served as an inspiration for Sam and Diane on the show. While viewers could not get enough of Sam and Diane’s impeccable he is try on screen, there was a huge twist in their story, and that had to do something with the actress’ sudden departure from the show.
Despite Shelley King’s huge success on the show, her character Diane moved to Los Angeles after Long didn’t renew her contract. Long’s sudden departure raised too many questions among viewers. Let us take a look at all the details and lesser-known facts to know why Shelley Long Leave Cheers.
Why Did Shelley Long Leave Cheers?
It seems like there were ongoing rumors about how it was rather difficult to work with Shelley Long. Other than that, the actress was reportedly ready to leave the show behind in 1986. As the news of her sudden departure started swirling around, many thought that it might hamper the show itself.
Later, the actress herself revealed the reason behind her departure, stating that while The Cheers writers were the finest in television, she felt like she was repeating herself and admitted that it bothered her a little bit. Shelley also admitted that many tagged her as a snooty person as she was getting movie offers. However, there was yet another reason that contributed to her departure as Shelley said how she has a two-year-old baby, and she wanted to spend more time with her family. The actress called it a good decision.
Also read Why Did Joe Leave Impractical Jokers? How the Cast Reacted
What Was the Aftermath of Shelley’s Departure?
It was not only the regular audience members who were worried about the future of Cheers, but even the producers and the network were also not quite thrilled with Shelley King’s departure. Not to forget how Shelley and Ted’s impeccable on-screen dynamic really made Cheers special and was also viewed as the backbone of the show’s success.
While there was a lot of ongoing concern that Shelley’s departure would cause the show’s downfall, so much so that it might have affected everyone’s livelihood, which was supposedly at stake, which was later said by writer/producer Ken Levine. It was further added that while there were actors who said that she drove them nuts, these actors were also mad that she was leaving. The producer later said that it was like the “restaurant where the food is so bad, and the portions are so small.”
Shelley Long Talks About Her Departure
While the actress had her reasons to leave behind the show, it was also rumored that the cast and crew were not getting along with Shelley Long. So much so that one of the crew members of the show, including co-creator Glen Charles, might have hinted at the fact that Shelley used to go overboard with her character, which was especially in comparison to the creative process of the rest of the cast.
However, contrary to this statement, Shelley insisted that she was just passionate about playing Diane. Long explained that while there was scuttlebutt about her talking too much and being passionate about Diane, it was not the case, and she thought it was her job and that’s what she was supposed to do. The actress further admitted that at times she sometimes felt like she was the one who physically pulled the plot, and added that it was heavy.
