Actors Leaving Their Shows In 2023!

There have been moments when our favorite actors decide to part ways with their show to begin a new journey. As much as it breaks our hearts, it isn’t always a bad thing. Today, we will be talking about 5 stars who are leaving their hit shows this year.

Think about a time when a brilliant actor created your absolute favorite character in a show. As TV watchers, we know all good things must come to an end, and goodbyes are inevitable, but that doesn’t make them any less hard. In 2023, some of our favorite characters have said they are leaving their beloved shows to embark on a new adventure. Let’s take a look at those who are departing.

Phoebe Dynevor

Phoebe took the world by storm by the end of 2020 as the very first episode of Bridgerton premiered on December 25th, 2020. She became Daphne Bridgerton, who falls in love with the Duke of Hastings, and their relationship became the talk of their world, as well as ours. Their season ended on a high note, and although the Duchess returned in Season 2 even though the beloved Duke did not.

However, Dynevor announced that she would not be making a return as the Duchess in the upcoming Season 3. She told Variety “I’ve done what I wanted to do with that character and she had a great arc. If they ask me back in the future, who knows?” The Duke and Duchesses love story was the center of Season 1, while in Season 2 the show focused more on Lord Bridgerton and Kate’s love story. In Season 2, Dynevor became a supporting character and as Bridgerton’s showrunner, Jess Brownwell told Variety in Season 3 “it’s Colin and Penelope’s time.”

Just this past month, we met her as Alexandra in the new Netflix movie called the Bank of Dave. We wish her the best of luck wherever she lands next.

Ellen Pompeo

Many people grew up watching Meredith Grey become a surgeon or they either grew up with her. After 19 seasons and 19 years of watching her coworkers come and go, Ellen Pompeo has decided to depart from Grey’s Anatomy. She announced her goodbye via an Instagram post on November 17th, 2022.

Pompeo addressed her departure on The Drew Barrymore Show and explained, “I mean, 19 years, that’s more than people keep their kids in their house…. So this is like me, like going away to college.” She has been busy with her 3 children, who she takes care of, and wants to spend time with them as they continue to grow. She will still continue to narrate the voiceovers and will also continue to be an Executive Producer for the show.

Pompeo will be starring alongside Imogen Reid in a new Hulu eight-episode show, which is currently untitled. The show is inspired by a true story and is based on a Midwestern couple who adopts a young girl with a rare form of dwarfism. As the plot goes on, the couple begins to suspect she is not who they thought she was.

You can catch Meredith’s farewell episode on February 23, 2023, on ABC when the show returns for the second half of the season.

Lisa Rinna

After 8 seasons, Lisa Rinna announced she will be leaving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She told Interview Magazine that “filming is one thing. But once you see it, once it goes out into the universe, that I don’t love, because it takes on a life of its own.”

She did not enjoy this season due to her mom passing away and because “the story just didn’t get told as two-sidedly as I would’ve liked.” On January 6th, she posted a picture of her on the show with the caption saying, “We had a good run. Love you! See you soon!”

Rinna joined the show in 2014 during the fifth season, and her contract expired at the end of last season. She has had quite the run, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.

Ruby Stokes

We sadly say goodbye to another family member from Bridgerton. Ruby Stokes, who plays Francesca Bridgerton, will be leaving the show to go work on another Netflix series, Lockwood & Co., This show actually just premiered this year on January 23rd.

Stokes was considered a reoccurring guest during its first two seasons, and this allowed her to pursue other opportunities while she enjoyed the Bridgerton family fun. However, she has moved on and will not be returning for the next season.

While Season 3 has not announced a release date yet, Francesca will not be leaving. Instead, the show will be welcoming Hannah Dodd as she takes over for Stokes. This is exciting news, and the Bridgerton family welcomed their new member via tweet.

While Stokes will be missed during our binge of Bridgerton Season 3, we cannot wait to see more of Francesca as Dodd takes over. Go support Stokes by watching her new show on Netflix.

Taylor Kinney

A beloved Chicago Fire fan favorite, Kelly Severide, played by Taylor Kinney, is taking a break from the show due to personal reasons. He has been part of the show since it premiered in 2012. Due to his leave, it is likely that future scripts will have to be reworked in order to accommodate Kinney’s leave.

The length of his leave or how his character will be affected is not yet known. The newlyweds, Kelly and Stella, seem to have ended on good terms, but no one is aware of how long the good terms will last. While he is gone for the remainder of this season, this leave does imply that Kinney is expected to return at some point.

Fans took to Twitter to show the actor support as well as express their sadness about the announcement.

While we patiently wait for Kinney to return to his role, you can watch the remainder of the season on Wednesdays on NBC at 9/8c.