NEW YORK (AFP) - The return of hit sitcom Roseanne was a ratings triumph for its Trump-voting star and the US president is also apparently a fan, calling to congratulate the show's actress on her success.

The first two episodes, broadcast on ABC on Tuesday after a 21-year-old hiatus, averaged more than 18 million viewers, reportedly making it the highest-rated sitcom broadcast in more than three years.

Not only is it a rare depiction of working-class life on US television, but also of Trump supporters, who have been largely ignored by Hollywood.

On Thursday, actress Roseanne Barr, who has been vocal about her Trump support on and off screen, said the Republican, who is a known fan of all things television and high ratings in particular, called personally to congratulate her.

"They said, 'hold please for the president of the United States of America' and that was about the most exciting thing ever, and it was just very, very sweet of him to congratulate us," Barr told Good Morning America.

The 65-year-old, who voted previously for Barack Obama, said it had been a "private" conversation.

"He's just happy for me. I've known him for many years, and he's done a lot of nice things for me over the years. So it was just a friendly conversation about work and television and ratings," she said.

The comedy stars Barr as the eponymous blue-collar matriarch of the Conner clan, whose foil is sister Jackie, played by multiple Emmy winner Laurie Metcalf and depicted as a Hillary Clinton supporter, who ultimately voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.