Stars Leaving Their Hit Shows

Lester Holt is receiving his flowers.

A few days following the 65-year-old’s announcement on February 24 about stepping down as anchor for NBC Nightly News this summer, the hosts of Today, Savannah Guthrie and Dylan Dreyer, extended their warm greetings to him.

53-year-old Savannah posted a picture on Instagram from when she worked with Lester during the November presidential election coverage last year. In her caption, she said, “Congratulations to @lesterholtnbc on an incredible decade and the upcoming new chapter!” The post dated February 24th looks back on their time co-hosting together. She expressed gratitude for being able to experience many historical moments side by side with him, always appreciating his professionalism.

Over the years, the pair have collaborated extensively, and on some occasions, Savannah has stood in for Lester on NBC Nightly News.

In addition, she warmly introduced him to his present position, a role he assumed from Brian Williams, during June 2015 in an interview on Today. She also praised him as one of her cherished colleagues within the NBC family.

Besides praising Lester on Instagram, Dylan also expressed gratitude towards him following the announcement, acknowledging that he made her feel at ease during her debut on Today‘s third hour in September 2012.

For years, it’s been a genuine privilege to learn and advance with him, from our early assignments, through hurricane coverage, up to his tenure at NBC Nightly News and the fun kid-focused segments on Nightly Kids. He is not only a top-notch professional and exceptional interviewer but also a cherished friend. I extend my heartfelt congratulations as you embark on this new chapter in your remarkable, inspiring career!

Although Lester is stepping down from his news anchor position, he’s not saying goodbye to NBC permanently. In a heartfelt announcement, the esteemed newscaster revealed that he’s transitioning to a full-time role at Dateline, a position he’s held as a principal anchor for close to 15 years.

In a surprising turn of events, Lester, who was once a 20-year-old radio journalist reporting on the police beat in San Francisco, never thought his professional journey would lead him where it has. He made this remark about his remarkable career progression, ending with his customary farewell, “Remember to take care of yourselves and one another.

Keep reading for more stars who left their hit shows….

Prior to the commencement of The Sex Lives of College Girls‘ third installment, Reneé Rapp revealed her decision to depart from the show’s cast.

She shared on social media in July 2023, “My college friends brought me to Los Angeles and connected me with some of my dearest companions.” Now, nearly three years later – I have you all and this amazing community.

The show’s co-creator, Mindy Kaling, likewise verified Rapp’s departure, expressing their affection for Renee Rapp and acknowledging the sadness of saying farewell to Leighton Murray. On her Instagram Stories, Kaling wrote, “We adore @reneerapp immensely and are eager to see our friend on tour!

Over a year ago, there were whispers about Kevin Costner leaving the successful Paramount drama after four and a half seasons unexpectedly. In June 2024, he officially announced that he wouldn’t be coming back to wrap up the show’s fifth and final season.

For 19 years, Ellen Pompeo played the role of Meredith Grey in the ABC drama. In February 2023, she performed her final shift as a regular cast member, marking her departure from the series.

On The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2022, Pompeo mentioned that she needs to shake things up a bit as she expressed, “I need to try out something fresh since I’m 53 and my brain feels like scrambled eggs. It’s not healthy to do the New York Times crossword puzzle every day.

In a recent update, it was disclosed that Henry Cavill, who played a significant role in “Batman vs. Superman”, is departing from Netflix’s fantasy series following its third season. Notably, Liam Hemsworth has been chosen to take over the character of Geralt for the fourth season and may continue in this role beyond it.

In a post on Instagram last October, Cavill expressed that his time as Geralt of Rivia has been a mix of challenges (monsters) and thrilling experiences (adventures). Sadly, he will be retiring the medallion and swords when Season 4 comes to an end.

Originally, Jesse Lee Soffer, one of the series regulars, handed in his badge in the year 2022, marking his departure from portraying the cherished role of Detective Jay Halstead following a decade on the show. In simpler terms, Jesse Lee Soffer ended his long-running character role as Detective Jay Halstead after 10 seasons in 2022.

In his last episode on NBC’s weekly drama, Soffer expressed that crafting each hour-long episode was a heartfelt endeavor shared by everyone involved in the show. He added, with a sense of pride, that he will always cherish his role as Detective Jay Halstead.

After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.

Back in August 2021, news broke out that Emily VanCamp had permanently retired her medical tool (stethoscope) since she had left the TV series “The Resident” on Fox.

Following three captivating seasons as Macy, the eldest sister character on the CW’s reboot of Charmed, Madeleine Mantock expressed her intention to depart before season four in 2021. In a heartfelt statement, she emphasized the immense privilege she felt portraying the role and shared her appreciation for collaborating with our skilled producers, creatives, fellow cast members, and crew.

As it happened, Elizabeth Keen wouldn’t get to learn the truth about Raymond Reddington’s identity because Megan Boone, who portrayed her on NBC’s The Blacklist, decided to depart from the series at the close of season eight. Regrettably, her character was eliminated before she could lay eyes on the letter that would have disclosed all the secrets. Boone concluded Liz’s journey in 2021 by posting on Instagram that playing the role had been a “dream.

In the second installment of Bridgerton, one duke was absent. The charismatic Rege-Jean Page made a significant impact as the star of Netflix’s popular drama, but he left fans everywhere heartbroken when it was confirmed in 2021 that he wouldn’t be reprising his role for the second season.

Later on, he clarified to Vanity Fair, “I agreed to take on a task, completed it, and then undertook additional tasks.” He added, “In essence, that’s the account of what transpired. If only it were a more extravagant tale than that.

Ruby Rose first appeared in the Arrowverse crossover in 2018 and later starred as Kate Kane (alias Batwoman) for one season on The CW’s drama series. In doing so, she made history by becoming the first lesbian superhero to lead her own show when Batwoman came out publicly on television. However, two days after the season finale aired in 2020, Rose announced her departure from the role. Eventually, Javicia Leslie took over as Ryan Wilder, a new character who will assume control of the Batcave in season two.

Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.

In 2020, at the close of season five, America Ferrera chose to part ways with the show Superstore. This departure left Cloud 9 without a manager and the series without its main character. However, due to the pandemic, she appeared in the initial episodes of season six before the show was concluded. When it was announced that season six would be the final one, she came back for the series finale to give Amy and Jonah (Ben Feldman) a fitting, happy ending.

In the last episode of the fourth season of the Syfy series “The Magicians”, the character Quentin, played by Jason Ralph, successfully undertook a mission to rescue Eliot (Hale Appleman). However, during this selfless act, Quentin made the ultimate sacrifice. Despite the show having deceased characters, it’s named “The Magicians” for a reason, and unfortunately, Ralph did not reappear in the fifth and final season.

Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.

Felicity and I are extremely close, but after the first to the seventh [something], she will have to part ways with you.

She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.

In 2018, after a long period of contract discussions, actress Lauren Cohan bid farewell to “The Walking Dead”. Although she featured in several episodes of the ninth season, her character Maggie Greene was missing following a six-year time leap. The producers had anticipated that she might reappear in some form for season 10, and when her TV series “Whiskey Cavalier” ended, they received their wish. Cohan reappeared in the 16th episode of this season, which was aired in October 2020.

Following closely behind Cohan and Andrew Lincoln departing from the zombie drama, Gurira also announced her exit. She had joined the AMC series during season three as the katana-wielding Michonne, making her final appearance in a season 10 episode that aired in March 2020.

In the initial season and becoming a main character in the subsequent series, Nicollette Sheridan portrayed the legendary Alexis Carrington. She revealed her intention to depart from the CW reboot prior to season three in 2019, choosing instead to be with her ailing mother.

As a devoted admirer, I found myself reflecting on George Eads’ decision to step away from the CBS remake in 2019, during the heart of season three. At that moment, he articulated his longing for additional time with his cherished family, a choice that resonated deeply with many fans.

The television series Lethal Weapon, starring Fox, has had its fair share of cast departures. Actor Clayne Crawford was let go from the show following the second season, and in October 2018, Damon Wayans, his co-star, announced that he plans to leave the popular drama after completing the initial 13 episodes of the third season. He stated, “I’m going to be quitting the show in December… I’m a 58-year-old diabetic and I’m working 16-hour days… Murtaugh said, ‘too old for this.'” In simpler terms, Crawford was fired from the series after two seasons, and Wayans, who plays a character named Murtaugh, has expressed his intention to leave after completing the third season due to long work hours and health concerns.

They didn’t have to come up with a new plan since the series concluded after its third season.

During the ninth season of Shameless, Cameron Monaghan’s character was sent to prison. In actuality, Monaghan had decided to pursue other opportunities after spending nine years on the show. However, in a surprising turn of events for television, he agreed to return for season 10 and was back when the series came back for its 11th and last season in December 2020.

After nine seasons as Fiona Gallagher, Emmy Rossum announced plans to leave Shameless in 2018.

Executive producer John Wells shared that Emmy Rossum will always be considered part of the Shameless family. He praised her for her exceptional portrayal of Fiona, her influential role behind the scenes, and directing several episodes of the show. They’re currently working on a season nine finale that aims to give Fiona an ending fitting of a Gallagher character, while paying tribute to Emmy’s outstanding performance. Though it’s sad when a long-standing cast member decides to leave, the door will always be open for Fiona to revisit or even return permanently. The team behind Shameless looks forward to continuing the tales of this unpredictable family and everyone involved will miss Emmy and her brilliant portrayal of Fiona.

Chelsea Peretti initially appeared in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” when it first aired on NBC, but she didn’t stay for the entire series. In a series of tweets back in 2018, the actress shared her intention to depart from the comedy, yet expressed her hope to return. Interestingly, she modeled her farewell statement after Emmy Rossum’s departure letter from “Shameless.” Peretti welcomed a son with husband Jordan Peele in 2017. During season five, her character was on maternity leave and missed several episodes.

In simpler terms, Andrew Lincoln, who played the role of Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead, departed from the show during season nine. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2018, he expressed his gratitude, saying, “This group has been the best substitute family I could have imagined. However, I also have a real family, and it’s time for me to return home.

15 years after, Pauley Perrette chose to take off her lab coat and depart from NCIS in 2018. In her own words, she explained, “I have such strong faith in God and the universe, and it became incredibly clear that now was the right time.” After careful contemplation, she opted to share the news herself on Twitter rather than allowing it to be sensationalized. She emphasized, “Abby’s departure is not just a typical TV plot twist.

2018 was when the departure of original cast member Willa Holland from The CW’s Arrow was planned, as confirmed by showrunner Marc Guggenheim to TVLine. Holland requested a decrease in her episode appearances and eventually asked to be written out during season six. Interestingly, this occurred at the same time as Roy (Colton Haynes), Thea’s boyfriend, returned to the series. Consequently, they set off together towards the sunset with the aim of destroying the perilous Lazarus Pits that Thea’s deceased father had discovered.

Actress Grace Park, best known for her role on Battlestar Galactica, departed the TV series Hawaii Five-0 prior to its eighth season in 2017. She and fellow cast member Daniel Dae Kim left following unsuccessful negotiations aimed at achieving salary equality with their colleagues.

Later on, Park expressed gratitude for the insights gained, yet asserted that they acted in accordance with their personal values. As quoted in Entertainment Weekly, they stated, “I understand that everyone is doing their utmost, and they all come from unique perspectives.

Similar to Park, Kim parted ways with the CBS drama during the transition between seasons seven and eight. In a heartfelt Facebook post, Kim expressed his struggle with the decision to depart, mentioning that he was open to returning, but ultimately, “CBS and I couldn’t reach an agreement on the terms of a new contract.

The NBC drama’s fourth season concluded with Sophia Bush’s character considering a job offer from the FBI in New York, which would take her away from the show’s setting, Chicago. In December 2018, the actress revealed that she left the series due to ongoing instances of abusive treatment.

Following four seasons on the HBO comedy, T.J. Miller chose to part ways in 2017, describing it as a “natural conclusion.” He shared with Entertainment Weekly, “Additionally, I find it intriguing to leave a show at its peak. It’s fascinating for me to observe how the series will evolve and adapt with the departure of this character.

Following a single season on CBS’s comedy series, significant changes were brewing behind the scenes. Erinn Hayes, who portrayed Kevin James’ wife, departed in 2017 as part of a creative overhaul. However, her tweet suggests that this decision was not mutual. “Indeed, I have been released from the show,” Hayes shared on Twitter. “I had a fantastic experience during season 1. Thank you for all your support from our amazing fans.

Later, Kevin continued his journey, in essence, with his fellow star from “The King of Queens,” Leah Remini. Eventually, CBS chose to discontinue the series entirely.

2025-02-25 21:18

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