Patricia Richardson reveals real reason hit 90s sitcom Home Improvement ended

Home Improvement star Patricia Richardson has revealed the big financial dispute that made the beloved 90s sitcom end after eight seasons.

Patricia Richardson is alleging that her former hit 90s sitcom Home Improvement ended after a pay dispute with Disney and ABC.

Richardson, who co-starred in the series with Tim Allen from 1991 to 1999, is claiming that she wasn’t treated the same way that Allen was, reports Decider.

The actress portrayed the loving TV mother Jill Taylor in all eight seasons of the show.

Patricia Richardson played Tim Allen’s onscreen wife on Home Improvement for all eight seasons.

The sitcom also starred Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Taran Noah Smith.

During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Richardson says her demand for equal pay was her attempt to stick it to the network after she felt mistreated.

She adds that she and Allen knew it was time to end the show and she made it clear during Season 8 that it would be her last.

The actress demanded equal pay from ABC for a proposed Season 9. Picture: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Allen was due to earn $US2 million per episode for one more season, with Richardson taking home only $US1 million per episode.

However, with only a couple of months left to go in Season 8, the network tried to convince the stars to return for a ninth season with an offer of 25 episodes where Allen would make $US2 million per episode and Richardson would make $US1 million per episode.

Richardson says Allen was game but she declined, creating tension between her and Tim.

The pay dispute created tension in her relationship with Allen. Picture: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Patricia says her way of turning down the offer was to ask the network for the same pay as Allen which she knew they’d never agree to.

Producers decided to end the show instead and she admits that she still has a complicated relationship with Allen because of it.

Richardson says she thinks Allen’s politics have done damage to the show’s Hollywood legacy. She does, however, defend Allen in certain respects like when Pamela Anderson claimed he flashed her, adding that’s not the Tim she knows.

To leave $US25 million on the table though, Richardson must have really felt bitter towards the network.

This article originally appeared in Decider and was reproduced with permission