A day after the Season 7 finale aired, Showtime has officially renewed the comedic drama Shameless for an eighth season. Production on the 12-episode season will begin in May for a debut later in 2017.
The renewal comes after a salary standoff with series lead Emmy Rossum, who demanded equal pay with her co-star William H. Macy - and more - to compensate for years of being paid less despite being the true lead of the series. Macy had recently signed a new contract for the series with a sizable pay raise. Locking in Macy and Rossum was key for the renewal. Rossum announced on Twitter last week that she had successfully renegotiated a deal to return to the series which paved the way for today's renewal.
The veteran series continues to be a hit for Showtime in the ratings. Its success allowed it to air two seasons in the same calendar to help bridge the gap caused by the delay in production for Season 6 of Homeland.
In addition to Macy and Rossum, the cast also includes Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan and Isidora Goreshter.
John Wells developed the series based on a UK format. He executive produces with Andrew Stearn, Etan Frankel, Krista Vernoff, Davey Holmes, Nancy M. Pimental and Christopher Chulack. Warner Bros. Television and John Wells Productions produce.
