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"The production of a new NBC drama series has been put on hold after one of its stars, Maura Tierney, has become ill, the network confirms to Usmagazine.com.\r\nSee photos of stars on set\r\n&amp;quot;Start of production on NBC Universal&amp;apos;s new series Parenthood has been postponed for eight weeks due to medical evaluation that valued cast member Maura Tierney is undergoing,&amp;quot; an NBC rep told Us Saturday.  NBC would not disclose the nature of Tierney&amp;apos;s illness.   &amp;quot;The top priority for NBC, Universal Media Studios and Imagine Television is the well-being of Ms. Tierney,&amp;quot; the rep said. &amp;quot;We are unable to release further details and ask that you respect her privacy at this time.&amp;quot;  \r\nSee photos of other stars who have overcome illness\r\nTierney, who just ended her 10-year stint as a doctor on ER, was supposed to begin filming Parenthood, which is a contemporary look at the 1989 film of the same name, on July 27.  The show revolves around four siblings -- Tierney, Peter Krause, Erika Christensen and Dax Shepard -- and their parents.  The series was scheduled to premiere Sept. 23.  &amp;quot;Due to these circumstances, NBC&amp;apos;s new drama series Mercy will premiere in the fall,&amp;quot; NBC&amp;apos;s rep told Us. &amp;quot;Details on changes to NBC&amp;apos;s fall premiere dates will be forthcoming.&amp;quot;  \r\nSee photos of today&amp;apos;s top news stories\r\nThe Hollywood Reporter, who first reported Tierney&amp;apos;s illness, reported that the delay will give more time to writers to finesse scripts.   This isn&amp;apos;t the first time filming on Parenthood has been put on hold. In April, production on the pilot was shut down for two days after NBC&amp;apos;s VP Nora O&amp;apos;Brien died unexpectedly on the Berkeley, Calif., set of the show."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/maura-tierney-illness-delays-new-shows-production-2009117>