NBC, ”Will & Grace” agree to eighth season

“Will & Grace” reportedly is coming back for an eighth season.

The Hollywood Reporter, citing unidentified sources, says NBC and the show’s producers have reached a deal for the 2005-06 season. The network declined to comment.

Stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally won salary increases in the one-year deal despite speculation they might have to settle for pay cuts, the trade paper said. Each will receive between $13 million to $15 million for the season, or roughly $600,000 per episode – well above the estimated $400,000 per episode they got this season.

Without the departed “Friends” as a lead-in, “Will & Grace” is averaging 10.4 million viewers this season, compared to more than 15 million last season.

But according to a recent report from media buyer Magna Global, it has the second highest ranking among 25- to 54-year-olds in households with an annual income of $125,000 or more, behind only the third edition of NBC’s “The Apprentice.”