‘Desperate Housewives’ star claims unfair dismissal

LOS ANGELES– A former “Desperate Housewives” actress took her ex-employer to court Thursday, claiming unfair dismissal from the hit TV series about lust and scandal in Wisteria Lane.

Nicollette Sheridan claims she was fired for complaining that the show’s creator, Marc Cherry, slapped her on the head during rehearsals for a scene in September 2008.

The 48-year-old actress featured in five seasons of the ABC series, before her character Edie Britt was written out of it a few months after the slapping incident — she claims in retaliation for her complaint.

Cherry’s lawyers claim he had already decided to drop her character in May 2008, four months before the incident — but Sheridan says she was assured in 2007 that her character would continue for the duration of the show.

“We know Edie’s character is one we definitely won’t be killing off,” Cherry said, according to Sheridan, the first witness to take the stand in the trial Thursday.

Sheridan filed a lawsuit in April 2010, alleging battery and wrongful terminal of employment against Cherry and Touchstone Television Productions, which makes the show.

Several of her former cast mates, including Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, James Denton and Felicity Huffman, are expected to appear as witnesses to defend Cherry at the trial.

“Desperate Housewives,” about lust, gossip, and foul play in a pampered American suburb, is to take its final bow at the end of its current eighth season.

The show, watched by 12 million people last season less than half the first season peak, helped turn around ABC’s flagging fortunes and boosted the international market for US series with complex plots and one-hour episodes.