'House' Renewed for Eighth Season,

The pickup comes on the heels of renewals for "Family Guy" and its spinoff "The Cleveland Show."

Dr. House will be on call for another season.

Fox on Tuesday announced an eighth season pickup for the Hugh Laurie medical drama, confirming widespread speculation.

“Over the past seven seasons, House has redefined the medical drama and has given us one of television’s most compelling and iconic characters,” said Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly. “From the producers to the incredible writers to the unbelievably talented cast and crew, the House team is fearless in its creativity and I can’t wait to see what they have in store next year.”

The announcement follows protracted negotiations between the show’s studio Universal Media Studios and network Fox over the show’s license fee, which spilled out into the press. At issue: who will pay what percentage for an eighth season.

Fox was looking to shave the license fee for the aging show as much as 20 percent, even as production costs rise, sources tells The Hollywood Reporter. Meantime, UMS had hoped to squeeze more seasons out of the deal, but Fox held tight with only one —and likely final -- season for the show.

Though it has shed viewers of late, House remains one of Fox’s top scripted programs and has long proved a powerhouse internationally and grossed in the neighborhood of $1 billion over its seven season run, according to some estimates.

Looking to the fall, Fox could pick up its Lauren Ambrose pilot Weekends at Bellevue, another hospital drama that could work as a complement – and eventual replacement — for House. The network, which recently renewed Family Guy and its spinoff The Cleveland Show, will reveal its 2011-12 schedule next week during its upfront presentation in New York

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/house-renewed-eighth-season-187093

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