Frasier Crane will have someone new to trade witty bon mots with while sipping sherry: Paramount+’s upcoming Frasier revival has added British actor Nicholas Lyndhurst to the cast, according to our sister site Variety, making him the first new cast member to join the series.

Lyndhurst — a veteran of UK TV shows like Only Fools and Horses and Goodnight Sweetheart — will play Alan Cornwall, a university professor who is an old college friend of Frasier’s. “British, boozy and larger than life, Alan has an intellect on par with Frasier’s — if only he ever felt like using it,” per the official description. “Alan’s mischievous streak might be just what Frasier could use to shake up his routine, while Frasier’s thoughtful guidance might help Alan find some of the direction he’s been missing in his own life.”

Kelsey Grammer will star in the revival, reprising his role as the snooty psychiatrist he originated on Cheers and then took to his own NBC spinoff, which ran for 11 seasons and won five straight Emmys for best comedy series. The official logline states: “Frasier is off to a different city with new challenges to face, new relationships to forge, and an old dream or two to finally fulfill.” (Hmmm… is he headed abroad to London, perhaps?) Paramount+ officially handed the revival a series order in October.

The rest of the original Frasier cast — David Hyde Pierce (Niles), Jane Leeves (Daphne) and Peri Gilpin (Roz) — are not currently attached to the revival. Grammer revealed in an interview that Pierce “basically decided he wasn’t really interested in repeating the performance of Niles.” (John Mahoney, who played Frasier’s dad Martin Crane, passed away in 2018.)

Does Frasier’s new pal sound like a decent enough Niles substitute? Hit the comments to share your thoughts — we’re listening.

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