The Big Bang Theory cast demands salary hike

After renewing The Big Bang Theory through Season 10, the network and producing studio, Warner Bros. TV, have run into problems when it comes to the cast of the hit show. Deadline is reporting that contracts have yet to be locked in for the five core cast members, including Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar and Kaley Cuoco.

The stars of the popular show are demanding a payrise of $1 million per episode before they sign their contracts for the upcoming eighth season.

The stars are determined to receive a similar wage to the cast of  Friends, which came to an end in 2004, according to Deadline, reports contactmusic.com.

Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco all currently earn a reported $325,000 per episode, but a rise in their pay would make them the highest paid actors on US television, beating the likes of Ashton Kutcher and Jon Cryer from comedy Two and a Half Men.

Filming could face weeks of delay if an agreement on wages isn't reached soon, as the eighth season is expected to go into production later this month. This isn’t the first time a paycheck has caused problems for the series. In 2010, the original cast renegotiated their salaries after the massive success of the show’s first few seasons. 

The network recently announced that the hit programme will continue for another three seasons, which means it will stay on screens until at least 2017.