Chuck Lorre: 'The Big Bang Theory Stars Have Earned Huge Pay Rise'

The stars of hit US sitcom The Big Bang Theory are bound to have a good Christmas this year, with their pay packet set to triple to $1million per episode.

Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki were locked in contract negations for the eighth series of the CBS show following a walk-out during the first week of production.

Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar are still involved in negotiations but are expected to settle shortly.

A source has told E! Online that the principal stars of the show wanted 'Friends money', after Jennifer Aniston and Co famously made $1 million per episode during the final season back in 2004.

TBBT Creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre has since revealed that while he isn't involved in the negations, he believes the cast have "earned" the extra cash.

Lorre told E!: "Everybody should be very successful and happy and rich. They earned it. It's a great cast. Great cast. It's their time."Despite their pay rise, Charlie Sheen remains the highest-paid TV actor of all time after pocketing a huge $1.8 million per episode for Two And A Half Men back in 2010.

The new series of The Big Bang Theory is set to premiere on September 22.