Billy Gardell, who starred in the Chuck Lorre-produced sitcom Mike & Molly, will be guest starring in an upcoming episode of Young Sheldon, according to EW.com. Gardell will play Herschel Sparks, father of Sheldon's bully Billy Sparks.

On The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon has referenced how Billy Sparks tormented him as a kid: putting dog poop ont he handle of his bicycle and putting a Mexican peso up his nose - currency which remains there to this day.

Young Sheldon returns Thursday, November 2 at 8:30/7:30c right after The Big Bang Theory.

Read the full story at EW.com

CBS has issued the press release for the November 9 episode of Young Sheldon, "Poker, Faith, and Eggs".

Poker, Faith, and Eggs – When George Sr. is rushed to the emergency room, Meemaw (Annie Potts) comes to babysit, and the kids have an adventure getting to the hospital on their own, when YOUNG SHELDON returns in its new time period, Thursday, Nov. 9 (8:31-9:01 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Matt Hobby reprises his role as Pastor Jeff. Vernee Watson, who has appeared on The Big Bang Theory as a nurse in five episodes, guest stars in this episode as Nurse Robinson.

The audience for Young Sheldon's series premiere rose sharply in the Live+3 ratings, which include people who watched the show on their DVRs within three days of its initial airing, to over 20 million viewers.

Young Sheldon's pilot episode was watched by 21.49 million people in the Live+3 ratings, up 25% from the same-day audience of 17.21 million. The 4.3 million increase was among the largest of any show last week, coming behind ABC's The Good Doctor (+5.50m), This Is Us (+4.85m), and Young Sheldon's parent show, The Big Bang Theory (+4.36m). Ranked by L+3 viewers, Young Sheldon was the second most watched show of the week, behind The Big Bang Theory (22.02m).

In the key adults 18-49 demographic, Young Sheldon rose by 37% from a same-day 3.8 to a 5.2 Live+3 rating. Young Sheldon was again one of the week's top movers, ranking behind NBC's This Is Us which moved up 1.8pts and equaling The Big Bang Theory's 1.4pt gain. Young Sheldon was the third highest rated show of the week in the 18-49 demo in the Live+3 ratings.

CBS has given Young Sheldon a full-season order just two days after its debut. The network has ordered an additional nine episodes of the show, taking its order to twenty-two episodes for the season.

Young Sheldon's premiere on Monday had the biggest audience for a comedy premiere since 2011. Young Sheldon is the first new show to get a full-season order this year.

Young Sheldon will return Thursday, November 2 at 8:30/7:30c when The Big Bang Theory moves back to its regular Thursday night time period.

The special debut of Young Sheldon last night was watched by 17.2 million viewers - the biggest audience for a comedy premiere in six years. The pilot episode of Young Sheldon, which followed the eleventh season premiere of The Big Bang Theory, retained a whopping 97.5% of its parent show's audience.

Young Sheldon had a 3.8/13 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic making it the highest-rated comedy premiere in four years. Young Sheldon ranked first in viewers and the key demos in its time period.

The Big Bang Theory posted its best ratings since December 2015 with 17.65 million viewers and a 4.1/16 rating in the demo. Compared to its tenth season premiere last year, The Big Bang Theory added 1.83 million viewers and three tenths of a rating in the demo.

Young Sheldon will return November 2 at 8:30/7:30c following The Big Bang Theory as it moves back to Thursday nights.

Young Sheldon's special debut last night is on track to be the most-watched new comedy premiere in six years since the premiere of 2 Broke Girls in 2011, and the highest-rated sitcom premiere since The Crazy Ones in 2013.

Airing right after the eleventh season premiere of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon retained almost all of its parent show's audience with 16.57 million viewers out of TBBT's 16.97m. Young Sheldon had a 3.7/13 rating in the 18-49 demographic, only slightly below Big Bang's 3.9/16.

The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon were both first in their respective time periods in total viewers, households and the key demographics.

British digital channel E4 has bought the rights to The Big Bang Theory prequel Young Sheldon and will begin airing the show next year.

E4 has been the U.K. home of The Big Bang Theory since its inception and the show plays a key part in the youth-oriented network's line-up. The Big Bang Theory's tenth season attracted 2.4 million viewers an episode on E4, giving the station its biggest show of the year in total viewers and the station's key 16-34 demographic.

Young Sheldon follows the life of Sheldon Cooper growing up in East Texas with a family that doesn't always know how to deal with his remarkable intelligence. When nine-year-old Sheldon starts high school it's good news for his twin sister, Missy, who no longer shares a class room with him, but the development causes concern for Sheldon's older brother, George Jr., who is already at the high school and Sheldon's father, George Sr., who works there. Sheldon's mother Mary worries about protecting him in an environment that doesn't necessarily value his intellect.

Young Sheldon, which stars Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Annie Potts, Montana Jordan and Raegan Revord, aired its special debut episode last night on CBS. The show was created by The Big Bang Theory's co-creator Chuck Lorre and executive producer Steven Molaro, who produce the show along with Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak. Iron Man director Jon Favreau directed the pilot episode and served as executive producer.

CBS has issued the press release for the pilot episode of Young Sheldon, the new prequel series to The Big Bang Theory which follows the early life Sheldon Cooper growing up in Texas.

Young Sheldon will premiere Monday, September 25 at 8:30/7:30c, immediately after the eleventh season premiere of The Big Bang Theory. Young Sheldon will then return on Thursday, November 2, when The Big Bang Theory moves back to its regular Thursday night time period.

Pilot - 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper is a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science but learns that isn't always helpful growing up in East Texas, a land where church and football are king, on the special series debut of the new comedy YOUNG SHELDON, Monday, Sept. 25 (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. YOUNG SHELDON moves to Thursdays (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) as of Nov. 2. Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Annie Potts, Montana Jordan and Raegan Revord star. THE BIG BANG THEORY's Jim Parsons is an executive producer and narrates as adult Sheldon.

Find more information about the Pilot episode of Young Sheldon in our episode guide.

Annie Potts (Ghostbusters, Designing Women) has joined the cast of Young Sheldon as a series regular, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Potts will be playing somebody very important in Sheldon's life, his beloved Meemaw.

Described as a foul-mouthed and hard-drinking Texan grandmother, Meemaw is nevertheless very supportive of Sheldon's unique genius. She was widowed when Sheldon's grandfather, his "Pop-Pop", died in 1985.

Sheldon's love of his grandmother has long been established on The Big Bang Theory. During the show's second season, it was revealed that Sheldon corresponds with his grandmother, who calls him "Moon Pie" because "he's nummy-nummy" and she could just eat him up. Later, Meemaw visited Pasadena to size Amy up, to make sure Sheldon's girlfriend was good enough to date her grandson.

CBS released its Fall 2017/18 schedule at the Upfronts today in New York. Young Sheldon, the new The Big Bang Theory spin-off focusing on the early life of Sheldon Cooper growing up in Texas, will join its progenitor on Thursday nights starting November 2. The prequel series will take the 8:30/7:30c time period right after Big Bang.

Before then, a special broadcast of Young Sheldon's debut episode will air Monday, September 25 at 8:30/7:30c, immediately following the eleventh season premiere of The Big Bang Theory. Big Bang starts the season on Monday nights because CBS is airing Thursday Night Football through the end of October.

When CBS's Thursday night line-up returns in November, The Big Bang Theory will air at 8/7c, Young Sheldon at 8:30/7:30c, Mom - also a Chuck Lorre show - will air at 9/8c, Life in Pieces at 9:30/8:30c, and the night closes with the new drama series S.W.A.T. at 10/9c.