Frasier star Toks Olagundoye was convinced she would be fired from the Paramount+ sitcom revival last year after telling showrunners she would have to undergo a double mastectomy halfway through production of the first season.
The Nigerian 49-year-old had tried to keep her battle with stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer a secret – she quietly underwent three surgeries before starting chemotherapy just two weeks before season one started shooting.
“I said, ‘Listen, if you have to fire me, I’ve only been in three episodes so far, make me a guest star or whatever,’” Toks (née Olatokunbo) recalled on The Kelly Clarkson Show last Wednesday.
“I’m sure I’ll be fired at any moment.”
Shortly after, Olagundoye received an unexpected call from Kelsey Grammer, executive producer-star of Frasier, who sounded “very emotional.”
Frasier star Toks Olagundoye was convinced she would be fired from the Paramount+ sitcom revival last year after telling showrunners she would have to undergo a double mastectomy halfway through production of the first season (pictured in 2023)
The Nigerian 49-year-old had tried to keep her battle with stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer a secret – she quietly underwent three surgeries before starting chemotherapy just two weeks before season one started shooting
“He didn’t realize what I was going through,” the Discovering Dad actress recalled.
“And he said, ‘I know how actors think, I just want you to know that this is your family, you’re not going to get fired, we’re going to do everything we can to make you feel comfortable.’ And I remember so vividly him saying, “You will be so happy after this.” Everything will be fine.’
Toks – who had hair first lumpectomy in 2022 – amazed: ‘I’ve never had a TV family like the Frasier cast. They are really great people, so it was really nice to be around them.”
The 42-year-old talk show host then surprised Olagundoye with a pre-recorded video message from the 69-year-old Emmy winner.
“I’m really proud of you for being on this show and I salute your efforts to raise awareness and money for breast cancer,” Kelsey gushed.
“And we always loved you and loved being with you when you went through your period, and congratulations on coming out the other side.” I am deeply and personally grateful that you did that.”
See more of Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane and Toks as his Harvard University boss, Olivia Finch, in the 10-episode second season of Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli’s reboot, airing Thursday on Paramount+.
Frasier is the continuation of the original NBC sitcom of the same name, which aired for eleven seasons from 1994 to 2004.
But it all stemmed from the classic NBC sitcom Cheers, which aired for eleven seasons, from 1982 to 1993.
Next month the Fatal Attraction star and her husband of nine years – Sean Quinn – will celebrate the fifth birthday of their son, whose name has not been made public.
Toks (née Olatokunbo) recalled on The Kelly Clarkson Show last Wednesday, “I said, ‘Listen, if you have to fire me, I’ve only been on three episodes so far, make me a guest star or whatever.’
Shortly afterwards, Olagundoye received an unexpected call from Kelsey Grammer, executive producer-star of Frasier (L, photo April 10), who sounded “very emotional.”
The Discovering Dad actress recalled, “He didn’t realize what I was going through. And he said, ‘I know how actors think, I just want you to know that this is your family, you’re not going to get fired, we’re going to do what we have to do to make you feel comfortable”
She added, “And I remember him saying so vividly, ‘You’re going to be so happy after this. Everything will be fine.”
Toks was amazed: “I’ve never had a TV family like the Frasier cast. They’re really great people, so it was really nice to be around them’ (pictured in 2023)
The 42-year-old talk show host (L) then surprised Olagundoye with a pre-recorded video message from the 69-year-old Emmy winner (R)
Kelsey gushed, “I’m really proud of you for being on this show and I salute your efforts to raise awareness and money for breast cancer. And we always loved you and loved being with you when you went through your period.”
He added, “And congratulations on coming out the other side.” I am deeply, personally grateful that you did.”
See more of Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane and Toks as Harvard University boss Olivia Finch in the 10-episode second season of Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli’s reboot, airing Thursday on Paramount+ (pictured in 2024)
Next month, the Fatal Attraction star and her husband of nine years – Sean Quinn – will celebrate the fifth birthday of their son, whose name has not been revealed (pictured June 16)
