Harry Shearer Will Return To The Simpsons

That was a close one.

Shortly after suggesting a departure from The Simpsons, voice actor Harry Shearer has agreed to return to America's longest-running sit-com.

Throughout The Simpsons's twenty six year run, Shearer has voiced Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Smithers, and several other Springfield characters. Shearer raised doubts on his return for subsequent seasons earlier this year, when he Tweeted a desire to spend more time working on his other voice acting projects. FOX then started production the Simpsons' upcoming 27th season without Shearer, saying that they would find replacements for Shearer's numerous characters.

But whatever ill-will existed between FOX and Shearer seems to have passed. As Entertainment Weekly reports, Shearer has signed a new contract with FOX that has locked him in for four more seasons of The Simpsons. With the new contract, Shearer and his co-stars stand to make an estimated $300,000 per episode. With his new contract, Shearer will continue to voice The Simpsons' most iconic characters, along with stalwarts like Lenny, Dr. Hibbert, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy and Otto.

The Simpsons 27th season premieres on September 27.

Via Entertainment Weekly.