30 July 2014
Last updated at 12:57 ET
Stars Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Kunal Nayyar and Simon
Helberg did not return to work for the first day of production on
Wednesday.
Negotiations are continuing with studio Warner Bros. Television (WBTV).
The comedy is the most-watched TV show in the US, with an average audience of 23.1 million in 2013-14.
In a statement, WBTV said: "Due to ongoing contract
negotiations, production on The Big Bang Theory - which was originally
scheduled to begin today - has been postponed."
The move came as a surprise to the studio, which previously said it expected the eighth series to go ahead without a hitch.
The delay affected a "table read" - in which the cast would have run through the script for the comeback episode.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco currently earn $325,000 (£190,000) per episode and are seeking up to $1m (£584,000) per show.
Such a deal would make them the highest paid actors on US television - ahead of Ashton Kutcher and Jon Cryer from Two and a Half Men, currently understood to be the most rewarded TV actors.
Both shows were created by Chuck Lorre, who recently said he did not expect the contract dispute to be overly disruptive.
"There are people at Warner Bros. Television and people representing the actors who have done this before," he said earlier this month.
"This will work itself out. I think it's great; I want them all to be crazy wealthy because nobody deserves it more than this cast. It'll work out."
However, salary negotiations on top-rated comedies have turned ugly before. In 2012, several actors on the hit show Modern Family took legal action to have their contracts declared void in a dispute over pay.
After staging a similar walk-out, TV network Fox relented and doubled their salaries.
Big Bang Theory production delayed over contract dispute
The cast are seeking up to $1m per episode, according to US media
Work
on the eighth series of US sitcom The Big Bang Theory has failed to
start on time, as the principal cast members fight for higher salaries.
Negotiations are continuing with studio Warner Bros. Television (WBTV).
The comedy is the most-watched TV show in the US, with an average audience of 23.1 million in 2013-14.
Continue reading the main story
Chuck Lorre Creator, The Big Bang Theory"I want them all to be crazy wealthy because nobody deserves it more than this cast”
Earlier this year, the show was
extended for a further three series, meaning the show, which centres on a
group of high-functioning science "geeks", will now air until at least
2017.
The move came as a surprise to the studio, which previously said it expected the eighth series to go ahead without a hitch.
The delay affected a "table read" - in which the cast would have run through the script for the comeback episode.
Parsons has won three Emmys and a Golden Globe for playing Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory
Such a deal would make them the highest paid actors on US television - ahead of Ashton Kutcher and Jon Cryer from Two and a Half Men, currently understood to be the most rewarded TV actors.
Both shows were created by Chuck Lorre, who recently said he did not expect the contract dispute to be overly disruptive.
"There are people at Warner Bros. Television and people representing the actors who have done this before," he said earlier this month.
"This will work itself out. I think it's great; I want them all to be crazy wealthy because nobody deserves it more than this cast. It'll work out."
However, salary negotiations on top-rated comedies have turned ugly before. In 2012, several actors on the hit show Modern Family took legal action to have their contracts declared void in a dispute over pay.
After staging a similar walk-out, TV network Fox relented and doubled their salaries.
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From other news sites
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Sydney Morning Herald Big Bang Theory on hold over dispute 36 mins ago
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Harden Express Big Bang Theory season 8 production on hold over pay dispute 1 hr ago
-
Mail Online UK Kaley Cuoco and Big Bang Theory co-stars holding out for huge raises 4 hrs ago
-
SiliconValley.com 'Big Bang Theory' production delayed over contract impasse 7 hrs ago
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Mirror.co.uk Big Bang Theory season 8 delayed: Contract negotiations force CBS to push filming of hit sitcom 9 hrs ago
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