Editor’s note: The original August 2022 version of this article was lost. The Lee Daily Register rebuilt it in October 2026 from the sources cited below, and added what happened afterward. The original version gave a net worth figure of about $10 million. That number did not come from a credible financial outlet, so it is not repeated here. The original also said Gardell appeared in an Ozempic advertisement. We found no reporting on that from 2022, but in September 2026 Gardell said he had been the drug’s spokesman, as described below.
Billy Gardell stars as Bob in CBS’s “Bob Hearts Abishola.” Figures for his net worth vary online, but we found none from Gardell himself or from a credible financial outlet such as Forbes or Bloomberg, so this article does not give one. What can be documented is his career.
A Swissvale comic
Pittsburgh Magazine described Gardell as Swissvale-born and a touring stand-up comic. In summer 2010 he filmed two shows in one night at a sold-out Byham Theater in Pittsburgh for his second Comedy Central special, the magazine reported.
Before his first starring role, he had smaller parts in film and television. His film credits include “Avenging Angelo,” “Bad Santa” and “You, Me and Dupree,” and on television he appeared in “Yes, Dear,” “The King of Queens,” “My Name Is Earl” and “Desperate Housewives,” the magazine noted.
Mike & Molly
His best-known early lead role came with “Mike & Molly,” a CBS comedy from producer Chuck Lorre that debuted in fall 2010, the magazine noted. Gardell played Officer Mike Biggs opposite Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn. The Chicago couple meet at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. The Daily Beast dates his run on the show from 2010 to 2016.
The final episode aired May 16, 2016. Back home for a stand-up show in Monroeville that month, Gardell called the series the most special thing he had done in his career, KDKA reported. He said he wanted a dramatic role next and was set to play Elvis Presley’s manager, Col. Tom Parker, in CMT’s miniseries “Million Dollar Quartet.”
Young Sheldon and Bob Hearts Abishola
Gardell soon returned to CBS. On “Young Sheldon,” he has played Herschel Sparks, the father of Billy Sparks, TVLine reported.
His second lead role began on Sept. 23, 2019, when “Bob Hearts Abishola” premiered. Gardell plays Bob, a compression-sock salesman who has a heart attack and falls for his cardiac nurse, Abishola, a Nigerian immigrant played by Folake Olowofoyeku, TVLine reported on premiere night. Lorre is an executive producer, and comedian Gina Yashere co-created the show and plays Kemi, a fellow nurse.
What the sources do not say
Gardell’s career includes two network sitcoms, other film and television work, and years of touring stand-up. We found no credible reporting on what he was paid for those roles, and no figure for his wealth from a named financial outlet or from Gardell himself. The online estimates we saw differ from one another and none cites a verifiable source, so we have not repeated any of them.
What happened next
On Nov. 29, 2023, CBS announced that “Bob Hearts Abishola” would end with a shortened, strike-delayed fifth season, TVLine reported. The 13-episode final run was due to begin Feb. 12, 2024. TVLine listed May 13 for the series finale, but a CBS News Chicago item dated May 6, 2024 said the finale would air that day.
In September 2026, Gardell spoke about his weight on comedian Tom Papa’s “Breaking Bread” podcast, The Daily Beast reported. He said he had bariatric surgery in 2021 after his doctor told him he had to do something. By his own account, he had by then developed type 2 diabetes and some cholesterol and heart issues, and he had a knee injury that kept him from walking for exercise. He said the surgery “probably saved my life” and that his diabetes is gone. He also said he took Ozempic for about a year before the surgery, prescribed for type 2 diabetes, and was the drug’s spokesman. The Daily Beast said he lost about 100 pounds on his own during the early years of “Bob Hearts Abishola” and about 170 pounds in total; Fox News put the total at more than 160 pounds.
