UPDATE, AUGUST 5: Production on The Big Bang Theory will resume Wednesday, August 6, after Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar signed new contracts. More details at Deadline.com. All the show's cast members are now signed up on new deals. The Big Bang Theory was renewed in early 2014 for another three seasons, taking it through ot its tenth season in 2016/17.

UPDATE, AUGUST 4: Deadline.com are reporting that Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco have signed new deals for The Big Bang Theory. More details at Deadline.com. Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar are still negotiating their contracts, but production on the show is expected to resume later this week.

UPDATE, AUGUST 1: Following the single day delays announced on Wednesday and Thursday, Warner Bros. TV has today pushed back the start of production until Wednesday, August 6, a week later than originally planned, to allow more time for contract renegotiations. The taping planned for Tuesday, August 5 will not go ahead. At this point the delay is unlikely to push back the season premiere date, September 22, but reports suggest the season might be shortened to 23 episodes as a result.

ORIGINALLY POSTED JULY 30: Production on the eighth season of The Big Bang Theory, which was originally set to begin today, has been pushed back as Warner Bros. continues to negotiate contracts for the main cast members. Production has reportedly been pushed back one day as talks continue with the actors. A renewed deal for the actors could come within a matter of days.

Only Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch are currently under contract for the show. The contracts of Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar all expired at the end of the previous season. WBTV put out a statement today saying, "Due to ongoing contract negotiations, production on The Big Bang Theory — which was originally scheduled to begin today — has been postponed."

Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco are reportedly seeking up to $1m per episode - what's often referred to as Friends money, referring to the high water mark set by the stars of the then #1 sitcom in the early 2000s.

With The Big Bang Theory currently the number #1 sitcom on network TV and in syndication, the three stars are expected to see a significant increase on their current salaries - reported to be $325,000 per episode. Helberg and Nayyar, whose contracts are negotiated separately, are also expected to see a sizable increase.

CBS, Warner Bros. and the show's producers were publicly downplaying concern about the ongoing negotiations recently. CBS's Nina Tassler commented on the situation two weeks ago, saying "We're feeling very confident that everything will work out. These deals manage to get done somehow miraculously year after year." Chuck Lorre told THR earlier this month "This will work itself out. I think it's great; I want them all to be crazy wealthy because nobody deserves it more than this cast. It'll work out."

This far, the stoppage is not expected to affect the show's season premiere, which is set for Monday, September 22. Contrary to online speculation, there does not appear to be any concern that any of the stars have walked away from negotiations.