Fox renews ‘Simpsons’ for two years

NEW YORK – Fans of “The Simpsons” can breathe a “d’oh!” of relief: The animated series was renewed Friday for two more seasons.

A contract dispute with the show’s voice cast had threatened to end the series, but Fox announced it will air through seasons 24 and 25.

The animated series about the Simpson family – including dad Homer and his familiar “D’oh!” – is TV’s longest-running scripted nighttime series. In its announcement, the network gave Homer a celebratory quote: “Woo hoo! I outlasted Andy Rooney!”

Negotiations over the future of “The Simpsons,” which began its 23rd season last month, spilled out into the public. Twentieth Century Fox Television, which makes the show, said it couldn’t continue without cutting costs and targeted the salaries of voice actors Harry Shearer, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria.

Each actor makes a reported $8 million a year for their work on “The Simpsons,” and Fox said the show could not continue without pay cuts. Earlier Friday, Shearer said producers demanded a 45 percent reduction.

The terms of the cast’s new deal were not announced. The Hollywood Reporter, citing unidentified sources, said the actors accepted a 30 percent pay cut in the $440,000 they’d received for each of 22 episodes per season.