The Conners promotes Jay R Ferguson to series regular ahead of season 3
The Conners has confirmed that Jay R. Ferguson has been promoted to series regular ahead of season three.
The actor was introduced as Ben in the Roseanne spin off's first season opposite Sara Gilbert, Laurie Metcalf and John Goodman, and went on to play a bigger part in its follow-up instalment as the character struck up a romance with the former's Darlene Conner.
So it makes sense that his involvement going forward has been cemented in TV terms.
Related: The Conners boss breaks down season 2 finale twist and looks ahead to season 3
Back when TV Line asked whether Ferguson would shift to being a full-time cast member last year, executive producer Bruce Helford told the publication that it was something that "hasn't really come up yet." However, he assured fans that that didn't mean Ben was going to be going anywhere anytime soon.
"Jay and Sara [Gilbert] have a long history. They were buddies since they were teenagers, and their chemistry is so freakin' good. We didn't know [the Darlene/Ben relationship] was going to be long-term.
"We actually had plans at one point for her to be thinking about somebody else and kind of blowing this relationship up. But as we watched them we [realized] you can't get much better than the way they act with each other because they're two alphas going at it. And there's a genuine affection between them in real-life."
Related: Here's how The Conners spin-off writes out Roseanne Barr's character after her firing
"We have a lot of regulars," he added coyly, before going on to clarify: "But certainly I think it's likely Jay is going to be around for a long time."
The Conners returns on ABC in the US on Wednesday, October 21.
Digital Spy has launched its first-ever digital magazine with exclusive features, interviews, and videos. Access this edition with a 1-month free trial, only on Apple News+.
Interested in Digital Spy's weekly newsletter? Sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
You Might Also Like
