EntertainmentNina Dobrev and Paul Wesley ‘Despised Each Other’ on ‘Vampire Diaries’ Set

It’s never easy to say goodbye, even if it’s a television goodbye. While no TV show can last forever – well, Law & Order: SVU is in the running – the cast doesn’t always stay as long. Many actors choose to leave after their contracts end. Some give the networks a lengthy heads-up, while others just seem to up and vanish, leaving the writers to scramble (see below!). Regardless, the show must go on. For TV stars who walked away from hit shows, click through the gallery ahead ...

Ahead of season 17, Levine decided to quit The Voice; he was a coach for the first 16 seasons and won three times. “After 16 seasons, Adam Levine, our beloved coach and friend, has decided to leave The Voice,” host Carson Daly announced on the Today show in May 2019. “Adam was one of the original coaches that launched the show, winning the competition three times and inspiring many of the artists he worked closely with over the years.”

'RHOA' Alum Apollo Nida Arrested Again Days After Prison Release

Phaedra Parks’ ex-husband, Apollo Nida, has been arrested for allegedly violating his parole days after his release from prison to a halfway house, Us Weekly can confirm. Celebrity Mugshots The Blast reported on Thursday, June 13, that the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum, 40, allegedly broke a “technical requirement” that was included in the list of rules on which his release was contingent. According to the website, Nida could remain incarcerated for the remainder of his original sentence, which was set to end on October 15, 2019.

The actress announced in March 2019 that she would be leaving Arrow at the end of season 7. “Felicity and I are a very tight two,” she wrote via Instagram. “But after [seasons] one through seven we will be saying goodbye to you.” Rickards’ Felicity Smoak, who worked as a hacker on Team Arrow before falling for and eventually marrying Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), became a series regular during season 1 after a guest appearance. The CW confirmed earlier in March that season 8 would be Arrow’s last.

After 12 seasons of playing Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU, Christopher Meloni decided to walk away from the longtime hit drama. Although he abruptly left after the season 12 finale was filmed, leaving writers scrambling to address it in season 13, he has stayed close to the cast and crew and is open to return for the series finale – whenever that may be.

When Josh Charles’ contract was up following season 5 of The Good Wife, he decided to step away from the CBS drama. His character, Will Gardner, was shockingly shot and killed during the show. The show continued for two more seasons and his ghost appeared in the series finale.

“It’s what I wanted.” That’s what Katherine Heigl said after wrapping on Grey’s Anatomy midway through season 6. She left to spend more time with her family, specifically her then newly-adopted daughter, but the exit wasn’t without its drama. In 2008, she made a statement that she wanted to be out of an Emmy consideration because the writing of her character wasn’t good enough. Ellen Pompeo also spoke out about her departure in a 2016 interview. “You could understand why she wanted to go — when you’re offered $12 million a movie and you’re only 26. But Katie’s problem is that she should not have renewed her contract,” Pompeo told the New York Post at the time. “She re-upped, took a big raise and then tried to get off the show. And then her movie career did not take off.” Heigl’s character, Izzie Stevens, has never returned to the series.

Angel cast and creators reunite for 20th anniversary of beloved vampire drama series

EW reunites Angel cast and creators for 20th anniversary of vampire show

The Walking Dead fans were shocked when Andrew Lincoln decided to exit the AMC hit after nine seasons, in order to spend more time with his family. However, after his final episode, the creator revealed he had signed on for several Rick Grimes-centric films in the coming years.

After starring in The CW’s Dynasty reboot for a season and a half, Nicolette Sheridan announced she would not return for the third season in order to take care of her terminally ill mother.

As stated above, Bush left Chicago P.D. after four seasons, ending her contract early. In numerous interviews since, she’s explained that she was unhappy with the conditions on the set. However, she remains close with many members of the cast.

After seven seasons of The Office, Steve Carrell decided to leave the hit NBC sitcom, explaining at the time that since his contract was up, he wanted to take the chance to spend more time with his family. The show continued for two more seasons and he made a surprise appearance on the 2013 series finale.

Amy Carlson made her last Blue Bloods appearance on the season 7 finale – but no one knew that fact until season 8 premiered and revealed that her character, Linda Raegan, was killed in a helicopter crash. She told Us Weekly in November 2017 that it was a “difficult decision” to leave the series.

Bill Cosby's wife hasn't visited him in prison — and that's how he wants it

Bill Cosby's wife, Camille, and their children haven't yet visited him in prison, where he's been since late September. But they're not shunning him. The disgraced comic simply doesn't want his family to see him as a prisoner, his spokesman says. "He feels that when he left home, he left home the day of the sentencing as Bill Cosby, not as NN7687, the number they have given him, and he wants his family to see him in that light not in the light of a prison uniform," Andrew Wyatt told DailyMailTV, via DailyMail.com. Wyatt said he's been Cosby's sole visitor at SCI Phoenix, a maximum-security state prison in Pennsylvania.

Following six seasons of One Tree Hill, lead stars Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton – whose characters Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer were married on the teen drama – decided to exit the series. Murray later returned for a cameo in season 9, the show’s final season. Burton did not return. In 2017, she spoke out in an interview with Variety detailing sexual assault allegations against showrunner Mark Schwahn, which was a part of her decision to say goodbye to the show.

After six seasons playing Emma Swan, Jennifer Morrison decided to leave ABC’s Once Upon a Time in order to transition into more directing roles and taking on new opportunities. “I’m just at an age and a time in my life where I want to be home, I want to be with my family and my friends, to have a chance to have a personal life for a while, and also wanted to be available to do other creative things,” she told Deadline in 2017. However, she did make an appearance in the May 2018 series finale.

At the end of The O.C.’s third season, Mischa Barton’s character was killed off after she told Fox she wanted to leave the show. The show continued for another season before its cancellation in 2007. Nine years later, she opened up about the decision. “I think I just got to the point where I was like, ‘I’m not sure I’m enjoying this anymore,’” she said while competing on season 22 of Dancing With the Stars. “I just felt like I was in a machine and I couldn’t really get off. So it was time to step back. So I went back to England and it was just a year of real self-exploration.”

At the end of season 6, Nina Dobrev decided to leave The Vampire Diaries – where, at one point she was portraying three different characters – in order to take on more adult roles. She returned two seasons later for the series finale.

‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Producer Riza Aziz Arrested on Money Laundering Charges

Riza Aziz, producer of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” was arrested Thursday in Malaysia in connection with the looting of a massive investment fund set up by his step father and former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak. Aziz was picked up by Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) around midday local time. He was released shortly afterwards on bail and is expected to appear in court on Friday to face formal charges. Aziz was a co-founder of Red Granite Pictures, which produced the Martin Scorsese-directed “Wolf” in 2013. It also co-produced “Dumb and Dumberer To” and “Daddy’s Home.

After seven and a half seasons on Home Improvement, Jonathan Taylor Thomas exited the sitcom midway through the eighth and final season in order to focus on school. (He enrolled in Harvard University and later, Columbia University.) He did not return for the finale, appearing only in old footage.

Midway through season 5 of CMT’s hit show Nashville, Connie Britton exited the series in order to do new things creatively. Her character, Rayna James, was killed off, but she did return for the 2018 series finale in a flashback, performing one last time with Deacon Claybourne.

In March 2019, Emmy Rossum made her final appearance on Shameless in the season 9 finale. The actress revealed months prior she had decided to leave the series, however showrunner John Wells made sure Fiona’s story line was left open-ended, in case Rossum decided to later return. “I think she’s so central to the family and to the show that we’ll certainly keep her progress abroad alive. Some of it will depend on Emmy and if she wants to do a scene or a phone call here or there. It was so emotional with her leaving,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in March 2019.

After spending 11 years as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds, Shemar Moore announced he was leaving in 2016 in order to see what other roles he was capable of playing. However, he returned in seasons 12 and 13 as a guest star.

At the end of season 6, Monica Raymond revealed in an Instagram post that she was not returning to Chicago Fire following her contract’s end. Her character, Gabby Dawson, took a job in Puerto Rico. She made one final surprise appearance during the season 7 premiere. However, cocreator Derek Haas remains hopeful that one day, she will return.