Less than 48 hours before CBS presents its fall schedule to advertisers in New York, Charlie Sheen announced via his publicist that he will be back on the network’s hit comedy Two And A Half Men next season. “To put a fitting end on the two and one-half months of whirlwind speculation, I’m looking forward to returning to my CBS home on Monday nights. I want to thank Les Moonves for his support.”
Terms of Sheen’s new pact were not revealed, though Warner Bros. TV already has a deal in place to produce two more seasons of Men for CBS.
Last month, Sheen kicked off a whirlwind of speculation after Sheen reportedly told friends that he hoped this season would be his last. His contract paying him roughly $800,000 per episode was set to expire April 9, the day Men shot its season ender. Sheen made note of the milestone by issuing a statement to People saying that if the taping of Men “is the end for me as Charlie Harper, so be it.” “Another journey has begun,” he continued. “I take from the experience 161 shows filled with a kaleidoscope of amazing experiences, memories, friendships and gratitude. I remain humbly inspired.”
At the time, Sheen’s publicist Stan Rosenfield said the actor was not attempting to wrangle more money out of WBTV, but many execs inside the studio and at CBS thought otherwise. In fact, some reports said that WBTV, in fact, had an offer out to Sheen for two more years at around $1 million per episode. No one was operating under the assumption that Sheen would leave.
A spokeswoman for Warner Bros. TV declined to comment Monday. Meanwhile, Sheen’s legal woes aren’t over yet. A trial date has been set for July 21 after his lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to charges of felony menacing, criminal mischief, and third degree assault, which stem from an alleged Christmas day argument with his wife, Brooke Mueller.
