Kelsey Grammer Explains Why David Hyde Pierce Isn't Returning For The FRASIER Revival

Kelsey Grammer has been hard at work developing a Frasier revival series, but David Hyde Pierce is not going to be a part of it. He decided not to return to the project to play Frasier Crane’s younger brother Niles on the series, which is coming to Paramount+.

In a recent interview with People, Grammer opened up about Pierce not returning, saying: “David basically decided he wasn’t really interested in repeating the performance of Niles.” It’s understandable that Pierce didn’t want to play this character again. But he will be missed by the fans.

In the end, Grammer said Hyde Pierce’s decision not to return actually has worked out well in terms of the new series’ storyline. He said: “In a very funny way, it just took us to a new place, which was what we originally wanted to do, anyway, which was a Frasier third act. It’s an entirely new life for him.”

While Niles won’t be a part of this new life that Fraser is living, I’m very much excited about seeing what Frasier is up to all these years later. Hyde Pierce previously talked about his time on the show, saying:

“That whole time of my life, the writing on those shows, the actors I got to work with — all of that is deeply important to me. And I would never disrespect that in such a way as to say just offhandedly, ‘Oh, no, thanks. I’m not going to do that again.’ It’s too valuable to me. But by the same token, because it’s so valuable to me, I also wouldn’t do it just [to] do it. And I believe it can be done without me, too — finding new stories to tell, in the same way that Frasier did after Cheers. They didn’t bring along the Cheers gang to make a new show. They popped in from time to time and that was a blast, but there was something else that needed to be said, and it needed to be said in a different way. And maybe they will find that and I’ll be in it, or maybe they’ll find it and they won’t need me to be in it.”

What we know about the new series is that it is focused on Frasier Crane’s next chapter living in a different city. He will also be surrounded by new characters, and there are several original Frasier cast members who are expected to make guest appearances.

The new Frasier series comes from writers Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life In Pieces), who will also executive produce with Grammer, Tom Russo and Jordan McMahon.