“One hopes, you know,” she answers dryly, “and if so, I hope I have a little say in casting. I’m not quite sure where they’re going to go with it — I’m not sure they know — but I think the whole idea of sending me back to school is terrific. It’s afforded us a couple of very funny storylines already. They don’t tell us what’s coming up on the show, but they certainly keep it fun and fresh.”

Keeping things fresh is the name of the game as the sitcom goes into its fourth season. For those who missed the last week’s season premiere, Heather Locklear is now on board as Valerie Bertinelli’s new boss, Regis Philbin has returned as Betty White’s hair stylist beau, Pierre, Wendie Malick’s Victoria character is making a Woody Allen movie — and Jane’s Joy character is a grandmother now, courtesy of son Owen ( Michael McMillian). Also fresh are plans to do a live episode of the show next summer.

“They came to us like a week or two ago with the idea and we all just jumped on it,” Jane tells us. “I think we all have theater experience. There’s nothing like doing something live. It’s scary and exhilarating, and things can go wrong and do go wrong. I’m excited to do it.”

According to her, all four of the “Hot in Cleveland” ladies are “certainly hoping it goes on a few more years, because we’re all having the time of our lives. We adore each other and we adore going to work. It’s one of the happiest sets any of us has worked on.”

We’ll talk more with Leeves in Thursday’s column.