Fox Telev-ision has approved two more seasons of The Simpsons, the broadcaster said Friday, ending a standoff after a pay row threatened to sink the long-running show.
Fox, a unit of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Had threatened to axe the hit cartoon show after 23 seasons if no deal was reached with the actors who voice Homer, Bart et al.
The voice behind the greedy Mr Burns had even offered to take a 70 per cent cut in pay to keep The Simpsons on the air, only for Fox Television to reject his proposal.
But late Friday Fox said on Twitter that it had renewed show — the longest-running animated television series in history — for a 24th and 25th season.
“In the words of Homer Simpson, ‘Woo Hoo! I outlasted Andy Rooney!’” it added, referring to the curmudgeonly US broadcaster, who appeared for the last time on 60 Minutes last weekend, his closing essay for the CBS show.
It gave no details about how the pay dispute had been resolved.
Fox threatened Tuesday to pull the plug on The Simpsons over the dispute, saying that as “brilliant” as the show may be, the network could not keep producing it under “its current financial model.”
The Daily Beast news website has reported that Fox wanted the voices behind Bart, Homer, Marge, Lisa, Krusty the Clown and other “Simpsons” characters to agree to a 45 percent salary cut.
But the cast members — including Dan Castellan-eta, who voices Homer, and Nancy Cartwright, alias Bart — had proposed a 30 per cent cut so long as they get a slice of syndication and merchandising income. — AFP