Heather Locklear is being asked to save "Melrose Place" — again.
The actress has agreed to revisit her role as Amanda Woodward on the CW’s struggling soap starting Nov. 17, the network and producer CBS TV Studios announced early Tuesday morning.
Locklear’s casting comes after disappointing, though not yet disastrous, early ratings for the CW’s "Melrose" reboot. Original "Melrose" exec producer Aaron Spelling also turned to Locklear to spice up the first version of the show, bringing her in during the middle of season one after several other characters failed to click.
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This time, producers wanted to have Locklear on board from the start. The plan was to have Locklear turn up as a dead body floating in the "MP" pool at the end of the first episode. A deal couldn’t be made, and the part went to Laura Leighton (Sydney).
Conversations with Locklear’s reps continued forever, and heated up just before the show’s premiere. Compensation was always a factor in the talks, according to multiple sources.
“Heather’s involvement in the show is something we’ve been working on for some time as we couldn’t imagine creating and producing this show without the iconic character’s inclusion," new "MP" showrunners Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer said in a joint statement.
No word yet on whether Locklear will be listed a special guest star. She kept that title throughout the life of the original "Melrose."
