Lerner announces exit on Instagram
Gail Lerner has been removed from her role on the NBC sitcom Newlyweds, a show she co-created, just before its scheduled premiere. In an Instagram post on Friday, Lerner said she was informed that the reason for her dismissal was creative differences. An NBC spokesperson confirmed that explanation was accurate. The series is set to debut on October 23.[S1][S2]
Lerner described Newlyweds as the most joyous TV experience of her life. She expressed sadness at being separated from the cast, crew, and writers, whom she called unparalleled. She noted that the first six episodes were produced under her leadership and said she would not change anything about them.[S1]
A sitcom built around a real married couple
Newlyweds stars Tim Daly and Téa Leoni, who are married in real life. The couple has been together for more than a decade after meeting on the CBS drama Madam Secretary, which ran from 2014 to 2019. The show centers on a free-spirited woman, played by Leoni, and a buttoned-up professor, played by Daly, who marry after a whirlwind courtship. Lerner co-created the series with Jamie Lee Curtis.[S1]
Lerner has built a long career as a producer, with credits spanning Black-ish and its spinoff Mixed-ish, plus Will & Grace, Happy Endings and Ugly Betty. Newlyweds is a Universal Television production. In her Instagram post, she described the show as a barn burner and urged people to tune in for the first six episodes and more, inviting fans of the series to reach out and asking critics to stay quiet. She closed with a message of love, saying she was standing on her feet and citing a friend's belief that dying on your feet beats living on your knees.[S1]
