Following an abrupt decision to cancel Roseanne, ABC has officially announced it is now reviving the hit series — though without its controversial star Roseanne Barr.
The Disney-owned broadcaster made the announcement this evening, revealing that Roseanne will now come as a spinoff minus its lead star. At this point, the working title for the series is The Conners, and it's set to premiere this fall on ABC.
According to the network, here's what we can expect from the spinoff series:
After a sudden turn of events, the Conners are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before. This iconic family — Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky and D.J. — grapples with parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging, and in-laws in working-class America. Through it all, the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns — with love, humour and perseverance, the family prevails.
We're guessing that "sudden turn of events" revolves around Barr getting written out of the show.
In ABC's announcement today, the network stressed that Barr will have no financial or creative involvement in the new series. Roseanne executive producer Tom Werner and Barr reached an agreement that would allow Werner Entertainment to produce the spinoff for ABC without Barr attached to the project in any way.
"I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from Roseanne. I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved," Barr said in a statement.
Werner added: "We are grateful to have reached this agreement to keep our team working as we continue to explore stories of the Conner family."
As previously reported, ABC's decision to cancel Roseanne came in May after Barr ranted on Twitter about Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to Barack Obama, calling her the offspring of the "Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes."
In a previous statement, ABC president Channing Dungey wrote, "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
The Disney-owned broadcaster made the announcement this evening, revealing that Roseanne will now come as a spinoff minus its lead star. At this point, the working title for the series is The Conners, and it's set to premiere this fall on ABC.
According to the network, here's what we can expect from the spinoff series:
After a sudden turn of events, the Conners are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before. This iconic family — Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky and D.J. — grapples with parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging, and in-laws in working-class America. Through it all, the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns — with love, humour and perseverance, the family prevails.
We're guessing that "sudden turn of events" revolves around Barr getting written out of the show.
In ABC's announcement today, the network stressed that Barr will have no financial or creative involvement in the new series. Roseanne executive producer Tom Werner and Barr reached an agreement that would allow Werner Entertainment to produce the spinoff for ABC without Barr attached to the project in any way.
"I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from Roseanne. I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved," Barr said in a statement.
Werner added: "We are grateful to have reached this agreement to keep our team working as we continue to explore stories of the Conner family."
As previously reported, ABC's decision to cancel Roseanne came in May after Barr ranted on Twitter about Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to Barack Obama, calling her the offspring of the "Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes."
In a previous statement, ABC president Channing Dungey wrote, "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
