Although CBS renewed the sitcom “Bob Hearts Abishola” for a fifth season in January, with the show receiving a double-digit license fee reduction, the bulk of the show’s cast will not return as regulars, Deadline reports. The change will not impact Billy Gardell or Folake Olowofoyeku, who play the title characters, Bob and Abishola, respectively.
Courtesy of CBS
The show’s 11 remaining cast members will see their episodic fees drop significantly after being offered recurring status with a five-episode guarantee. The cast was notified of the change last week, one week after the show completed production on its current fourth season. That said, some of the actors could appear in more episodes next season which will be subject to need and availability.
Courtesy of CBS
There’s no word yet on whether those affected by the change have accepted the new terms, but Deadline indicates some might be willing to do it out of respect to the show’s producers “who have been put in a difficult spot by the budget squeeze.” Meanwhile, non-lead original cast members had previously been asked to wait until after Season 4 to renegotiate their contracts which would have seen them receiving a bump in salary as the show prepared to be sold in syndication. That is now no longer an option.
Reportedly, the comedy series only received an initial 13-episode order for Season 5, with a possible Back 9 still in the cards, which would put the show in line with the 22-episode orders for Seasons 3 and 4. Only Gardell and Olowofoyeku would be expected to appear in all episodes, regardless of the season’s ultimate episode total.
The show has already planted the seeds for cast changes, as teased in a synopsis for the upcoming Season 4 finale, airing Monday, May 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Titled “Uncharted Waters of Mediocrity,” the episode sees doubts creeping in as Abishola awaits her acceptance letter to the medical school of her dreams in Baltimore. Also, Bob battles his subconscious when he realizes he doesn’t want to leave Detroit.
For more information on how these changes will impact the series, click here.
Premiering in September 2019, “Bob Hearts Abishola” is a love story about a middle-aged compression sock businessman from Detroit who unexpectedly fell for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack and set his sights on winning her over. Undaunted by Abishola’s lack of initial interest or the vast differences in their backgrounds, Bob was determined to win Abishola’s heart and eventually married her in the comedic examination of immigrant life in America.
Produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, the series was co-created by Chuck Lorre, Al Higgins, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gina Yashere, who also appears on the show as Kemi, Abishola’s colleague and friend. Additional stars include Matt Jones as Douglas, Tony Okengbowa as Kofo, Barry Shabaka Henley as Uncle Tunde, Shola Adewusi as Auntie Olu, Bayo Akinfemi as Goodwin, Christine Ebersole as Dottie, Maribeth Monroe as Christina, Saidah Afrika Ekulona as Edunoluwa, Travis Wolfe, Jr. as Dele, and Vernee Watson (“General Hospital”) as Gloria.
Watch a clip from a recent episode of the series below.