Garrett recently provided the voice to a character in Finding Nemo

Garrett has reportedly refused to return to work until CBS agree to discuss a pay rise.

Garrett plays Robert Barone in the hit sitcom, the brother of the show's star Ray, played by Ray Romano.

Romano recently became the highest paid comedy actor on TV after securing a deal earning him $1.8m (�1.2m) per episode.

Garrett, who won a best-supporting Emmy Award in 2002, is thought to be on a considerably less $166,000 (�103,000) per episode deal, and wants wages equivalent to those of supporting actors on sitcoms such as Will & Grace.

Garrett's manager, Doug Wald, told the Hollywood Reporter: "We've been trying to talk to (CBS) for many months about this.

"They've been non-responsive. We're just looking for an appropriate deal."

Walk away

CBS has retaliated in a statement saying: "Brad Garrett is an enormously talented actor whom we hold in the highest regard.

"It's unfortunate that he is not honouring his contract."

CBS said it had twice renegotiated Garrett's contract in the past four years and that he had been signed up until season eight, which hits US screens in September.

Daily Variety quoted Garrett's representatives saying: "If we don't come to a fair deal, we feel comfortable walking away."

Filming on Everybody Loves Raymond, which was due to start this week, has been postponed because co-star Patricia Heaton has been sick.