EXCLUSIVE: Ted Danson's 'Cheers' Fears — Aging Star Hoping to Make Peace With Co-Star Shelley Long Before It's Too Late
Ted Danson allegedly hopes to make peace with Shelley Long before it's too late for both stars.
July 9 2026, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Rueful Cheers star Ted Danson is doing some major soul-searching now that he's 78.
Not only has he made a groveling apology to ex-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg for appearing in blackface while roasting her in 1993, a source told RadarOnline.com he's also desperate to make peace with former costar Shelley Long.
Ted Still Haunted By Exit
Sources said Ted Danson hopes to make peace with former 'Cheers' costar Shelley Long.
Danson costarred opposite the 76-year-old actress on the hit sitcom from 1982 until she left in 1987.
But the Troop Beverly Hills star is a virtual hermit these days and she's long avoided getting together with her costars, said an insider.
"The Shelley situation is still painful for Ted because her exit from Cheers at the height of its popularity is something people ask him about all the time," a source said.
Rumors of a feud between the two have swirled for years, although both have claimed it's just a case of different acting styles.
Ted Wants Long-Awaited Closure
Shelley Long previously said she and Danson channeled their on-set tension into their work on 'Cheers.'
"Shelley's process would have infuriated you if it had been mean," Danson said in 2012. "But it was purposeful – it was her way of being [the character] Diane – and there's not a mean bone in Shelley's body. I had trouble hanging around her until we stood onstage together, and then I was in heaven."
"Terrible teasing went on in the relationship and outside the relationship, but our energy went into our work and it paid off," is the way Long explained it back in the '80s.
Despite the occasional tension, the A Man on the Inside hunk calls her his "all-time favorite" costar and would love to get closure with her by having her on his podcast, Where Everybody Knows Your Name.
Time Running Out for Reunion
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Sources said Danson wants Long to appear on his podcast 'Where Everybody Knows Your Name.'
"Ted knows his millions of fans would love for him and Shelley to have a conversation about their history together and to clear up any lingering misunderstandings," the source said. "He also knows that time is running out for everybody."
The source added: "It's not just about Cheers, it's about the whole moment their generation lived through in show business. He and Shelley will always be linked by their time together.
"It would be a real shame if they never had another honest conversation with one another."
