Frasier's David Hyde Pierce Reveals Why He Hasn't Appeared in Reboot

David Hyde Pierce probably won't appear in the Frasier reboot.

By Jamie Jirak

The second season of Paramount+'s Frasier reboot is currently in production, and the new season is expected to feature some familiar faces from the original series. In addition to Kelsey Grammer in the titular role, the new season will also feature Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle, who also guest starred in the Season One finale. It was announced earlier this month that Dan Butler will also be returning as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe, the shock jock who hosted Gonzo Sports Show on Frasier. Edward Hibbert is also returning as Gil Chesterton, the uppity food critic known for hosting Restaurant Beat. This will mark Butler and Hibbert's first time appearing in the reboot. Unfortunately, there are a few stars from the original show who have opted not to return, including David Hyde Pierce, who played Frasier's little brother, Niles Crane. Pierce recently spoke with Metro and explained why he hasn't reprised his Emmy-winning role. 

"No, I think right from the beginning, when we talked about it, if the idea of had we been we were going to do, like, a one-off special episode, or something that would have been very easy to commit to," Pierce explained. "It isn't so much about not doing that show, it's about the other opportunities that I have that I don't want to turn down." 

"I think that word resonates for a lot of reasons," he added. "We were, as obviously many successful shows are, a family on that show ... We were all very close. We were at each other's weddings and birthings and passings and everything in between."

"But also, even though it's been about 100 years since Frasier was on, people still come up to me and tell me how much the show means to them, what it did to get them through COVID, for example," he continued. 

What Is The Fraiser Reboot About?

Blind Date
(Photo:

Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane in Frasier, episode 6, season 1 streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+

- Chris Haston)

You can read Paramount's description of the reboot series here: "The series follows Frasier Crane (Grammer) in the next chapter of his life after he returns to Boston to face new challenges, forge new relationships and – with hope – finally fulfill an old dream or two.

Related:

FRASIER comes from writers Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life in Pieces), who executive produce with Kelsey Grammer, Tom Russo, and Jordan McMahon. The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Grammer's Grammnet NH Productions. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of the Paramount+ markets." 

Season One of Fraiser is currently available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.

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