Kelsey Grammer Tears Up Talking to a Studio Audience About His ‘Love’ for Frasier (Exclusive)
PEOPLE has an exclusive look at the Emmy Award-winning actor greeting an audience before taping an episode of the upcoming Paramount+ ‘Frasier’ revival
It’s been 30 years since Kelsey Grammer first played Frasier Crane, but stepping back into the iconic role has been an experience he has relished.
The Emmy Award-winning actor, who is reprising the beloved psychiatrist for the upcoming Paramount+ Frasier revival, premiering on Oct. 12, makes it a custom to speak to the studio audience before taping every episode about his character and what reviving the show means to him.
In an exclusive clip shared with PEOPLE, Grammer emerges in front of an audience, who greets him with cheers and a standing ovation. He grins while holding a mic, soaking in the enthusiastic reception and thanking everyone.
“I’m delighted you’re here. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you’re here and how grateful we are that we have a chance to do this for you again,” Grammer, 68, says. “I am very excited about what we’re doing, this new group of people that you can fall in love with and get to know. We’ve been working so hard at this thing and it’s been quite a while, and I think we’ve done something quite lovely.”
Getting choked up, Grammer says: “My love for this character is very sweet. I wish you this!”
In another instance addressing the audience, the actor continues to reflect on the “incredible journey” between the original show and the revival. He also expresses surprise over his character.
“What’s shocking is he’s just as fresh and alive as any regular human being would be,” he says. “They’d say, ‘How can you play the same character for so long?’ Well, it’s as interesting as life itself.”
“Give us your blessing and wait for us. Give us love, and we’re going to give you love back,” he adds. “Frasier lives on so, so does Kelsey. Thank you. We’ll see you in a bit. Thank you very much. Enjoy the show.”
Paramount+’s Frasier revival arrives nearly 30 years after the debut of the original 1993 sitcom, which was a spinoff of the popular sitcom Cheers.
Per a press release, the new series follows Grammer’s Dr. Frasier Crane “in the next chapter of his life as he returns to Boston with new challenges to face, new relationships to forge and an old dream or two to finally fulfill.”
For the Frasier revival, many of the original cast members will not return. John Mahoney died at the age of 77 in 2018, and Grammer has said David Hyde Pierce “wasn’t really interested” in playing Niles again. However, Peri Gilpin and Bebe Neuwirth are expected to pop up in the show as guest stars.
Lilith, who portrayed Frasier’s then-wife Dr. Lilith Sternin on Cheers, will reconnect with Frasier at his son Freddy’s (Jack Cutmore-Scott) birthday, according to Deadline, noting it will be an icy reunion that promises to become a “Lilith-and-Frasier showdown for the ages.”
