A short-lived sequel

The finale of 'The Golden Girls' aired on May 1992 and became one of the most-watched television finales of all time, with more than 25 million viewers.

A sequel series - without Bea Arthur - titled 'The Golden Palace' followed later that year and saw the remaining cast members invest in a local hotel but it did not achieve the ratings success of its predecessor and plans for a second season were shelved. Betty White recalled: "Tony [Thomas, producer] said he had been told, for what it was worth, that we were listed on the schedule until the night before the announcement, but in countering some move by one of the other networks, we didn’t make the cut."