'Will & Grace' set for three more years

The creators of Will & Grace have revealed that time will probably be called on the sitcom after nine seasons.

The news means that the show - which centres around best friends Will Truman and Grace Adler - could be on air until 2007. The seventh season is currently in production and will air in the US from September.

"I would think that nine seasons is certainly enough," co-creator Max Mutchnick told the Media Guardian today. "When we first wrote the thing it couldn't be more than six seasons because you hope these characters move on in life. But it becomes a machine, it becomes bigger than you are."

Mutchnick added that he hoped the show would finally end with Will, Grace and their off-the-wall friends Jack McFarland and Karen Walker finally managing to settle down. "I hope that when it does end it ends because everybody's fallen in love. That's the good and the bad of the show. It can keep going until they all meet 'the one'."

Several changes are being planned for the upcoming season to keep the series fresh.