The creator of Everybody Loves Raymond has revealed that a spin-off starring Brad Garrett was in the works after the original show ended in 2005.
During an appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Dinner's On Me podcast, Phil Rosenthal said that he pitched a spin-off centered on Robert Barone, played by Brad Garrett, and his wife Amy, played by Rosenthal's real-life wife Monica Horan.
According to Rosenthal, the spin-off would've also starred Amy's parents and brother, played by Fred Willard, Georgia Engel, and Chris Elliott.
Despite having a 'proven' cast that could bring in great ratings, Rosenthal said that the spin-off was axed because the network thought the cast was 'too old'.
'You know why they said they wouldn't give us more than a pilot? Everyone was over 40,' claimed Rosenthal.
'They said the business changed during the nine years of Raymond.'
Garrett was around 45 when Everybody Loves Raymond ended in 2005, while Horan was around 42.
Everybody Loves Raymond ran for nine seasons from 1997 to 2005.
The sitcom followed successful sports writer Ray (Ray Romano) and wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) as they tried to cope with living across the street from Ray's domineering Italian mother Marie, outspoken father Frank, and jealous brother Robert.
Last year, the cast reunited for the show's 30th anniversary special on CBS.
Sadly, some of the show's longtime cast members had passed away prior to the reunion, including Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle, who played Marie and Frank Barone.
Sawyer Sweeten, who played one of Ray and Debra Barone's twin boys, also died after committing suicide in 2015.
Romano has already squashed speculation of a Raymond reboot, admitting that it wouldn't work due to the deaths of key cast members.
'We're never gonna do one, because we're missing three cast members, three family members,' he said.
'It wouldn't be the same,' Rosenthal agreed. 'We have too much respect for the show itself and for the beautiful audience.'
The spin-off was supposed to be centered around Brad Garrett's character Robert Barone.
The network allegedly passed on the spin-off because the cast was 'too old' at the time, despite Garrett still being in his mid-forties.
Since the series wrapped, creator Rosenthal has gone on to find success with his very own cooking series called Somebody Feed Phil.
The popular show has already aired eight seasons on Netflix but is set to move over to YouTube in 2027.
He's also a restaurateur and the owner of the hottest eatery in Los Angeles, Max & Helen's.
The Larchmont diner, named after Rosenthal's parents, has been flooded with food bloggers, celebrities and loyal Raymond fans since opening its doors in late October.
Famous diners so far have included an eclectic array of stars from A-lister Jane Fonda to Kylie Jenner's model ex-bodyguard Tim Chung.
Other notable names to hit up Max and Helen's include Gwyneth Paltrow, The Bear's Adam Shapiro, The Talk's Sara Gilbert, and celebrity realtor Drew Scott.
Garrett won three Emmy awards for his role as Robert Barone in the beloved sitcom.
Everybody Loves Raymond cast members have also dined inside Max and Helen's, with Patricia Heaton taking her family to the hotspot for lunch last year.
'Max & Helen's is comfort food done right... welcoming, delicious, and full of heart,' Heaton gushed on Instagram.
While the celebrity clientele are certainly a draw, the real appeal is in the menu.