€3m pay deal for West Wing star

West Wing star Martin Sheen is to earn more than €3m for the next series of the White House drama, it was reported today.

The 61-year-old has tripled his salary following his continued success in the role of fictional US President Jed Bartlet.

His deal with US network NBC also includes guaranteed days off every week during filming, an office suite on set and a role for his daughter Renee Estevez, the New York Post reported.

But the €328,171 an episode figure leaves him well short of the €1,093,906 an episode the six Friends stars are earning for the final series of the comedy.

The West Wing has picked up a string of awards since it was first screened in 1999.

During the 2000 presidential elections opinion polls regularly showed that, given the choice, Americans would vote for Bartlet ahead of George Bush or Al Gore.

A special version of the show about a terror alert at the White House screened weeks after September 11 attracted 25 million viewers in the US.