Kelsey Grammer Teases How Shelley Long’s Diane Could Return In ‘Frasier’ Reboot – Emmys

Kelsey Grammer, who has been musing about a return for Shelly Long‘s Diane on his Paramount+ Frasier reboot, told Deadline today at the Emmys how it would go down.

“The relationship with Diane is something that still gnaws at him a little bit because he felt like he failed at it,” Grammer says about Frasier Crane.

“It would be nice if they acknowledge one another… ‘I’m glad you did ok.’ Have her do the same thing,” explained Grammer.

As far as whether Long would return, “It would only happen if it’s important to Frasier’s development as a human being,” explained the 5x Emmy winner.

Grammer also said he’s open to Ted Danson’s Sam Malone from Cheers making an appearance on the new Frasier. Under one circumstance: “If Sam Malone is still alive and has a vital connection of making Frasier move to another place.”

Grammer’s Frasier character was introduced in Season 3 of Cheers as a love interest to Long’s Diane, who had been linked with Ted Danson’s Sam Malone. Long reprised her role on the original Frasier making several appearances as part of dream sequences. In Season 3 of the spinoff, Long appeared in the episode titled “The Show Where Diane Comes Back.”

Grammer said recently on the Kelly Clarkson Show, “When I first got the role, the key to Frasier for me was that he loved her with his whole heart, that he loved with all of his being. And that actually defined who he is and he’s been that way ever since. He just goes in wholeheartedly with everything — and that’s what makes him funny.”