The original cast members of award-winning hit TV show Lost have been offered a huge pay increase in exchange for extending their contracts by another year.

Touchstone Television has promised the likes of Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly and Dominic Monaghan between $20,000 and $40,000 (GBP11,000 and GBP22,000) more per episode if they sign for a third series, pushing some salaries into the six figure bracket.

Fox, who plays lead character DR JACK SHEPPARD, has reportedly earned a minimum $250,000 (GBP138,000) bonus on top of the salary hike.

The raise puts Lost cast members in line with the stars of Desperate Housewives.

Lost, which sees a group of plane crash survivors stranded on a tropical island, has one of the largest casts and production costs of any US drama series.