http://katiecouric.com/2013/12/12/the-murphy-brown-cast-reunion/#murphylocklear

Diane English and Candice Bergen talk to Katie about how network execs were pushing for another famous blonde for the CBS comedy.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#GjKy6tJ8qHKV3eDf.99

No, no, no! Murphy Brown wouldn't have lasted nearly as long with her instead of Candice Bergen.

As much as I love Heather, I sure am glad they chose Candice for the role!!!

Lots of updates on the following links:

http://katiecouric.com/2013/12/12/the-murphy-brown-cast-reunion/

http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/heather-locklear-was-almost-murphy-brown--plus--more-weird-almost-casting-choices-203608197.html

I wish I had the chance to see the whole episode. Does anyone know if it is available online?

I wonder if Heather Locklear would've been too young to play Murphy. She's in real life, only about three years younger than Faith Ford. So Heather would've been about 27-28 years old when Murphy Brown first went on the air.

Candice Bergen meanwhile, was 42 at the time. I do wonder though if, Candice was ultimately cast because they needed a name to sell the series to the network. She was fairly well known and had never done TV before, so in 1988 that had to be very attractive to CBS execs.