Lowe quits West Wing after pay row

Rob Lowe is to leave White House drama the West Wing in a row over pay, it was reported today.

His character, deputy communications director Sam Seaborn, will be written out of the show in the next series.

The 38-year-old is said to be unhappy that the programme’s makers would not raise his £45,000 an episode salary, according to Variety.

Martin Sheen, who plays President Jed Bartlet, recently had his pay tripled to £210,000 per show.

Warner Brothers also doubled the salaries of co-stars Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer and Bradley Whitford for the last series after they refused to work until they received pay rises.

The West Wing is credited with reviving Lowe’s career after he was caught on video having sex with a 16-year-old girl during the 1988 Democratic Convention in Atlanta.

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

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.