Frasier star Toks Olagundoye was convinced she would be fired from the Paramount+ comedy revival last year after telling showrunners she had to undergo a double mastectomy midway through production on the first season.
The 49-year-old Nigerian had tried to keep her battle with stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer a secret: She quietly underwent three surgeries before beginning chemotherapy just two weeks before the first season began filming.
“I said, 'Listen, if you have to fire me, I've only been in three episodes so far, make me a guest star or whatever,'” Toks (born Olatokunbo) recalled on The Kelly Clarkson Show last Wednesday.
“I’m sure I’ll be fired any minute now.”
Shortly after, Olagundoye received an unexpected phone call from executive producer and Frasier star Kelsey Grammer, which sounded “very emotional.”
Frasier star Toks Olagundoye was convinced she would be fired from the Paramount+ comedy's revival last year after telling showrunners she had to undergo a double mastectomy midway through production on the first season (in photo from 2023).
The 49-year-old Nigerian had tried to keep her battle with stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer a secret: She quietly underwent three surgeries before beginning chemotherapy just two weeks before the first season began filming.
“He didn't realize what he was going through,” the Discovering Dad actress recalled.
And he said, “I know how actors think, I want you to know that this is your family, that you won't be fired, that we will do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable.” And I remember him so vividly saying, “You're going to be so happy after this. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Toks – who had her first lumpectomy in 2022 – marveled: 'I've never had a TV family like the cast of Frasier. “They are really amazing human beings, so being around them was really nice.”
The 42-year-old talk show host then surprised Olagundoye with a pre-recorded video message from the 69-year-old Emmy winner.
“I'm so proud of you for being on this show and I commend your efforts to raise awareness and money for breast cancer,” Kelsey gushed.
“And we have always loved you and loved being with you when you were going through your time, and we congratulate you on coming out on the other side.” I am deeply and personally grateful that you did.
See more of Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane and Toks as his Harvard University boss, Olivia Finch, in the 10-episode second season of Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli's reboot, streaming Thursdays on Paramount+.
Frasier is the sequel to the diferente NBC sitcom of the same name, which aired for 11 seasons between 1994 and 2004.
But it all stemmed from the classic NBC comedy Cheers, which aired for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993.
Next month, the Deadly Attraction star and her husband of nine years, Sean Quinn, will celebrate the fifth birthday of their son, whose name has not been publicly revealed.
Toks (born in Olatokunbo) recalled on The Kelly Clarkson Present last Wednesday: “I said, 'Listen, if you have to fire me, I've only been in three episodes so far, make me a guest star or whatever.'
Shortly after, Olagundoye received an unexpected phone call from executive producer and Frasier star Kelsey Grammer (left, pictured April 10), which sounded “very emotional.”
The Discovering Dad actress recalled: 'He didn't realize what he was going through. And he said, “I know how actors think, I want you to know that this is your family, that you won't be fired, that we will do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable.”
He added: “And I remember him so vividly saying, “You're going to be very happy after this. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Toks marveled: “I've never had a TV family like the cast of Frasier. They are really amazing human beings, so being around them was really nice” (pictured in 2023)
The talk show host (left), 42, then surprised Olagundoye with a pre-recorded video message from the Emmy winner, 69 (right).
Kelsey gushed, “I am so proud of you for being on this show and I commend your efforts to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.” And we have always loved you and loved being with you when you were going through your stage.
And he added: 'And congratulations on coming out on the other side. I am deeply and personally grateful that you did.
See more of Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane and Toks as his Harvard University boss, Olivia Finch, in the 10-episode second season of Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli's reboot, streaming Thursdays on Paramount+ (on photo from 2024).
Next month, the Deadly Attraction star and her husband of nine years, Sean Quinn, will celebrate the fifth birthday of their son, whose name has not been revealed (pictured June 16).