“Behind the Scenes: The Surprising Fallout of Shelley Long’s Exit from Cheers That Left the Cast Reeling”
Added on March 1, 2025 inEntertainment News Cards, Movie News Cards
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Shelley Long’s departure from Cheers after five unforgettable seasons sparked waves of uncertainty—not just for the fans but for the entire cast and crew. Diane Chambers, played by Long, was more than a character; she was the heart of the show, intricately woven into the fabric of its charm, particularly with her iconic on-again, off-again romance with the dashing Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson. So when her contract ran out and she made the difficult choice to leave, it sent everyone scrambling to find a replacement who could fill those large – and let’s be honest, stylish – shoes.
In a recent podcast with co-creators Glen and Les Charles, they reminisced about Long’s tremendous impact on Cheers and what it meant to keep the show’s spirit alive without her. They were candid in admitting that Long was so pivotal to the show’s success that some critics predicted the end of Cheers along with her departure. Enter Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe in Season 6—a bold move that would ultimately change the show’s dynamic. But did she really capture the essence of Cheers the way Diane did?
Join me as we explore the legacy of Shelley Long, the transition to Kirstie Alley, and, most importantly: Team Diane or Team Rebecca? Who do you think really deserved a spot next to Sam at the bar? The debate continues! LEARN MORE.
Shelley Long left Cheers after five seasons, leaving the team to find a replacement in the form of Kirstie Alley.
Everybody knows your name at Cheers, especially if it’s Diane. But when Shelley Long left Cheers after five seasons, it left not only a (watering) hole but put the cast and crew in panic mode. For more than 120 episodes, Long was a crucial figure on the show, especially when it came to her romance with Ted Danson’s Sam Malone. So when her contract expired, it left everybody wondering who could possibly fill the shoes.
Cheers co-creators Glen and Les Charles recently appeared on Danson and Woody Harrelson’s aptly titled Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, where the topic of Shelley Long came up. And the boys couldn’t avoid admitting that Diane was so vital to the show from its inception (she won an Emmy for the pilot) that they knew it was going to be an issue pleasing fans. As Glen Charles put it, “There were some critics that said when Shelley walks out the door, that’s the end of Cheers…[She] had signed on for five years anyway. Her contract was up, it’s not like she stormed out of here. She did say, ‘I’m out of here,’ but she was allowed to do that. She was having a certain amount of success in film and thought she had a career in film. So we can’t fight that.”
In Shelley Long’s final appearance (until the series finale six seasons later), Diane leaves to pursue her writing career, leaving Cheers, Boston and Sam. Starting in season six, Kirstie Alley stepped in as replacement Rebecca Howe. While it might not have been the best choice for Cheers purists (remember that couple who sat in Norm’s stool?), Alley was an immediate presence and perfect addition to the show. She, like Shelley Long, would win the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for work on Cheers.
Remembering Shelley Long at the outset, Glen Charles noted, “We said often that we’re not sure that Cheers would have survived without Shelley in that first season because she was so strong and so confident and knew exactly who the character was and who she was. And I think all of the rest of [the original cast] were finding your way a little bit.”
Cheers would run for 11 seasons and 275 episodes, becoming – after a notorious start that had the show on the rocks – one of the greatest shows ever…which is precisely why I’m going through another rewatch.
Were you more a fan of Diane or Rebecca? Let us know who you think is the ultimate Sam Malone love interest.
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