Big Bang Theory Finalizes Deals with Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, Avoids Further Delay

Phew! TV's biggest comedy will bang on. Warner Bros. has finalized contract negotiations with the last two remaining cast members of The Big Bang Theory,meaning that production on the sitcom's eighth season will proceed on Wednesday, Aug. 6, it was announced Tuesday.

That means the ink is finally dry on the contracts of Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg, who play Raj and Wolowitz, respectively. Details on the contracts weren't made available, but Variety says the pair, who support main stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, and Kaley Cuoco, will earn something in the mid-six-figure-per-episode range. That's up from the $100,000 they reportedly earned before.

Fall TV: Scoop on Big Bang Theory and more returning fall shows

That's still a lot less than the $1 million per episode that Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco will earn, in addition to their share of the show's back-end profits. The three stars' lengthy contract holdouts ended Monday. 

Nayyar and Helberg apparently wanted similar deals to their co-stars, but the studio refused to cave and allegedly threatened to write both characters out of the show if they did not take the deal offered today. Fellow Big Bang Theory cast members Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik had previous deals going into Season 8, leaving Helberg and Nayyar as the only two left without new contracts. 

Season 8 was supposed to start July 30. However, the lost time will not affect the 24-episode order. The new season of The Big Bang Theory premieres Monday, Sept. 22 at 8/7c on CBS.

Do you think Nayyar and Helberg deserve as much as their co-stars? 

(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)

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