Nicollette Sheridan's Firing Was a Cost-Cutting Move?

The cutting of actress Nicollette Sheridan from the ABC drama, Desperate Housewives, was an effective cost-cutting tool, according to MSNBC. Housewives creator Marc Cherry told his writers, "If we threaten one of the characters' lives, maybe they'll back off." The elimination of Sheridan will save the show approximately $100,000 to $200,000 per episode.

The killing of Sheridan's character, Edie Britt, may have been a long time coming. Cherry and Sheridan have reportedly had tense moments, going back as far as two years. When the salaries of the show's stars began to rise, Cherry considered killing Sheridan's character off.

Sheridan told TV Guide, "[Killing Edie] was a risky decision that could have devastating ramifications. Somebody up there really wanted her dead. I think whoever Edie represented in Marc's life was somebody he didn't like. And he had a very difficult time distinguishing between fact and fiction."