Kelsey Grammer Hatches Plan for Shelley Long to Join ‘Frasier’
The first season of the Frasier reboot was a hit among audiences and critics alike, but many fans were left wondering whether they’d see David Hyde Pierce (who played Niles) or Shelley Long (who played Diane Chambers, although mostly on Cheers) pop by for Season 2. Parade posed that question to star Kelsey Grammer from the red carpet of the SCAD TV Fest in Atlanta, where he was honored with the Legend of Television Award, last week. (We also asked him about Taylor Swift, in case you’re interested.)
“David Hyde Pierce would be lovely,” Grammer said. “If he wants to come back, it'd be great. Maybe we'll find a spot that would make him feel comfortable, as his son's on the show, you know…it would make sense that [Niles and Daphne, played by Jane Leeves] would visit. We'll see what happens with that. It'd be really exciting. It'd be fun to have them come around.”
Related: See the Cast of 'Frasier' Then and Now
As for the return of Shelley Long, Grammer confirmed that he’s “discussed the idea that [she] might come back,” adding that it would make sense for his character’s story arc.
“The show ended up going back to Boston, in some ways because the legacy cast wasn't going to return,” he explained. “So Frasier had to go back to figuring out how to bury some ghosts, how to put some things to bed. And he left the city of Boston with his tail between his legs, and he wants to figure it out, conquer it finally, become the man he was meant to be in Boston. And that was the young man that he showed up as, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and hoping that it all worked out for him there. So he's got this script written that he still wants to fulfill. Shelley as Diane would be wonderful to be on the show, just because … so he could put that to bed. Just to say, ‘You know what? It was an important thing for me.’ Because he loved her so much.”
Related: See the Cast of 'Cheers' Then and Now
Grammer was joined on the red carpet by revival co-stars Jack Cutmore-Scott, Jess Salgueiro, Toks Olagundoye and Anders Keith. When asked about their dream guest star, many of them had the same answer: Brian Cox. “That would be amazing,” Olagundoye said. “That would be very exciting. I mean, it's fresh on the mind.”
Cuttmore-Scott had a different person in mind. “I would love it if we met Alan’s mum or his parents. And I think that Maggie Smith would be perfect. If you're available, Maggie, just let us know.”
At which point Salqueiro chimed in with a correction: “Dame Maggie.”
As evidenced by their playful banter, the Frasier set could accurately be described as “fun,” Olagundoye shared. But they’re “not the most rowdy bunch in the world,” she added. “I think we're kind of a bunch of nerds. We're not really big, like, in the spotlight people. We kind of quietly gather in a corner or go back to our rooms. But we really enjoy one another. So it's a very pleasant work environment. No one is difficult. There's no one who we are trying to avoid, which sometimes happens.”
“Unless,” she adds after a beat, “you’ve been trying to avoid me.”
