The original stars of Desperate Housewives have been left broken-hearted - after being snubbed for a planned reboot of the blockbuster TV drama. Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Nicolette Sheridan had all publicly expressed interest in reprising their roles in the sex-in-the-suburbs series that ran for eight series from 2004.

But none have been invited to audition for a spin-off called Wisteria Lane, based on the picture-perfect cul-de-sac that hid their characters' darkest secrets. A senior production source who has worked with all five stars said: "They've all been talking about getting back together since the show ended 13 years ago and Eva, especially, has been pressing creator Marc Cherry to find a way to bring it back. Now they feel as if the rug has been completely pulled from under them. Marc isn't calling the shots any more - and as a result they're all out in the cold."

Wisteria Lane is being written by The Flight Attendant screenwriter Natalie Chaidez for production company Simpson Street, owned by former Scandal star Kerry Washington, pictured left.

The Hollywood actress, 48, told a US TV chat show: "The idea is it's new times, there's new challenges and it's like: what happens on that cul-de-sac now? It's really exciting."