Desperate Housewives star sues its creator for £13m over ‘assault on set’

Desperate Housewives has kept viewers gripped with its dark and devious plots set in American suburbia — but now a story is brewing off-screen that would shock even the most callous residents of Wisteria Lane.

One of the stars of the series, Nicollette Sheridan, is suing the show's creator, claiming he hit her across the head and face on set. The British-born actress has filed a $20 million (£13.2 million) suit against Marc Cherry for the alleged assault, and for firing her when she complained about it.

Sheridan, 46, who played divorcée Edie Britt, claims Cherry, the programme's executive producer and writer, created a "hostile work environment" from its inception in 2004, "behaving in an extremely abusive and aggressive manner toward the individuals who work on the show".

He is said to have struck her on the Wisteria Lane set while filming the fifth series in September 2008. According to her lawsuit, Sheridan asked Cherry about a line in the script, and he "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head". After she stormed off to her trailer, he came to "beg forgiveness".

When she reported the alleged attack to TV channel ABC, which airs the show in the US, Cherry retaliated by killing off her character, says the file at Los Angeles Superior Court. Viewers saw Edie die last year, electrocuted following a car crash.

Sheridan also claims Cherry told her: "I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies" when Hatcher — who plays Susan Mayer in the show — also spoke to ABC bosses about his behaviour.

The lawsuit adds: "It is exceptionally unusual for a popular character to be killed off or written out of a television series unless the actor has requested to be released from his or her contract." Sheridan is seeking damages for assault and battery, gender violence and wrongful termination. Cherry was not available for comment.

Sheridan was born in Worthing and went to school at Millfield in Somerset before moving to America aged 10. Her breakthrough came in 1986 when she won the role of Paige Matheson in soap Knots Landing. In Desperate Housewives, which is shown on Channel 4, Edie was a devious serial divorcée who had many affairs.

Off-screen, Sheridan has dated singer and actor Leif Garrett, actor Harry Hamlin and singer Michael Bolton.