Kelsey Grammer Protected Toks Olagundoye’s Frasier Role After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Kelsey Grammer Protected Toks Olagundoye's Frasier Role After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

As a movie buff with a soft spot for heartwarming stories, I find myself deeply moved by Toks Olagundoye’s journey. Her courage and resilience in the face of adversity are truly inspiring. It’s not every day you come across a story where an actress fights breast cancer and continues to shine on our screens.


Actress Toks Olagundoye, who portrays Olivia Finch in the Paramount+ series “Frasier” revival, feared she might lose her job due to a breast cancer diagnosis. During the first season’s production of the “Frasier” sequel, Olagundoye had to undergo a double mastectomy. Prior to filming and before the show began, she underwent multiple surgeries and chemotherapy. However, doctors determined that a double mastectomy was necessary to effectively treat her aggressive stage 1 cancer.

On an episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show”, Olagundoye shared that she believed receiving the diagnosis would mark the end of her time on the show since they had only filmed three episodes. She requested from producers to be a guest star if they were going to let her go, but was delightfully surprised when she found out that Frasier star and executive producer, Kelsey Grammer, supported her.

Later on, when Kelsey called, I thought, “Ah, yes, this seems like the moment I’m getting let go.” He was deeply moved and didn’t fully grasp my situation, saying, “I understand how actors think, I want you to know that this is your family. You’re not being fired; we’re going to do whatever it takes to make you feel at ease.” I can still vividly recall him saying, “You’ll be overjoyed after this. Everything will turn out alright.

Praising the show’s entire team, Olagundoye shared:

The ‘Frasier’ cast is unlike any other TV family I’ve known – truly exceptional individuals. It was genuinely pleasant to spend time with them.

Toks Olagundoye Hopes Her Experience Inspires Faith in Employers

On an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Olagundoye was touched by a heartfelt video message from Grammer. In the message, he praised her dedication towards raising breast cancer awareness.

I’m extremely proud of you for participating in this show. Your dedication to increasing awareness and funds for breast cancer is truly commendable. We’ve always admired you and enjoyed your company during your journey, and I want to congratulate you on overcoming the challenges you faced. On a personal note, I want to express my sincere gratitude for all that you’ve done.

With Grammer and Olagundoye, the cast of “Frasier” includes Jack Cutmore-Scott, Jess Salgueiro, Anders Keith, and Nicholas Lyndhurst. Olagundoye’s character, Professor Finch, serves as head of Harvard University’s Psychology department and is instrumental in bringing Dr. Frasier Crane back to teach at the esteemed institution. In this new series, Dr. Frasier Crane, who audiences first met during the third season of “Cheers” in Boston, returns to the city following his father’s passing and rekindles his relationship with his son, Freddy (Cutmore-Scott).

Olagundoye has openly shared about her diagnosis and treatment with various media outlets, and consistently praises her co-stars from the show Frasier. In a chat with Elle magazine in September, she affectionately referred to her Frasier team as “extraordinary” and emphasized that they accommodated all of her needs. Furthermore, she expresses hope that her journey encourages others to recognize that it’s possible to employ individuals who may be dealing with health challenges.

At work, everyone was frequently reaching out to me, and there wasn’t any hesitation about it. It felt somewhat like I had a cold, where they would ask, ‘How are you feeling?’ – which was considerate. This is why I prefer to be open about my health status, so that others don’t feel uncomfortable discussing it. I hope that by sharing my experience, people will understand, ‘You know, it’s possible to employ individuals who are unwell.’ They will continue to put in a good effort and perform well.

In 2023, the revival of the beloved sitcom “Frasier” premiered its first season, marking nearly two decades since the original series ended. Now, the show is currently airing its second season, with fresh episodes being broadcast every Thursday until November 14, 2024. As for a potential Season 3, no decision has been made yet, but star Kelsey Grammer has expressed his desire for additional seasons.

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2024-11-04 02:34