CW confirms Shannen Doherty back on "90210"

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Brenda Walsh is all grown-up and returning to Beverly Hills, 90210, this fall.

But cast members of the new CW spinoff "90210" are speculating whether Shannen Doherty will be equally mature when she reprises her role as Walsh.

"I have heard some of the stories," "90210" star AnnaLynne McCord said of the sometimes-volatile relationship between Doherty and co-star Jennie Garth on the original series, which aired from 1990-2000.

Garth is returning to her role as Kelly Taylor, now a school guidance counselor, on "90210."

In the new series, Doherty's Walsh is now a famous theater director invited back to West Beverly Hills High School to stage a musical, CW announced Saturday at a Television Critics Association meeting in, of course, Beverly Hills.

Her guest role plays out over multiple episodes, the network said.

"If she and Jennie have it out while I'm there, OK, then, all right, so that's the story," McCord said of any possible discord during production.

"We're co-workers, we're going to be co-stars and I want to treat her [Doherty] with the respect that I would treat any other co-star," said McCord, who played the evil Eden on FX's "Nip/Tuck."

Ryan Eggold, McCord's co-star, is betting the Doherty vibe "will be 100 percent fine for us, for the new kids, because we have no history with her. We have no problems with her, and I'm sure she's going to come to this with a wonderful attitude."

Added executive producer Gabe Sachs, "There isn't any tension. No one's been on the set yet, but I think they'll be OK," he says of Garth and Doherty. Then he laughed. "I don't think they've gotten together and had dinner yet."

Doherty's publicist did not immediately respond to an e-mail request for comment Saturday night.

McCord paid Doherty a compliment.

"I love Shannen Doherty. She, from a very young age, had the 'it' factor. Shannen Doherty is the epitome of what a talented young actor was, back in the day," McCord said.

When Doherty left the original series in 1994, Doherty called it a mutual decision with the series' producer and said she was "miserable" working on the show. The young actress had captured headlines with off-screen escapades such as brawls.

Also starring on "90210" is Tori Spelling, daughter of the late "Beverly Hills 90210" creator Aaron Spelling, reprising her role as Donna Martin, now an upscale boutique-owner.

The drama about Beverly Hills angst and affluence premieres Sept. 2.