On the heels of Pauley Perrette’s announcement of her departure on NCIS, CBS and executive producers George Schenck and Frank Cardea have released a statement regarding the actress’ exit.

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Perrette, who has played Abby Sciuto since 2003 (orginally appearing on Jag), confirmed that she’s leaving NCIS at the end of season 15. She also denied rumors that she’s parting with the show on bad terms. Her social media post coincides with the network’s statement, which basically says they respect her decision to leave.

According to CBS, Perrette is “a valued member of both NCIS and the CBS family for over 15 years. While it’s never easy saying goodbye to a beloved actress and character, we respect her decision to leave at the end of the season. We are grateful to Pauley for all her contributions to the series and making Abby one of the most unique characters on television.”

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Meanwhile, NCIS promises fans that Perrette’s character will go out in style. “We’ve known for some time this would be Pauley’s final season on NCIS and have been working toward a special send-off,” revealed Schenck and Cardea in a statement. “From day one, she has brought incredible passion and specificity to the role. Abby is a character that inspires millions of fans around the world, and all of us at NCIS are appreciative of Pauley for portraying her.” 

Perrette is the second original NCIS cast member to leave in the past two years, following Michael Weatherly, who left the show in 2016. With Perrette out, the show will be left with only two original cast members, Mark Harmon and David McCallum.

Any predictions on how Abby will leave NCIS?

NCIS season 15 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Dean Bextor

Staff Writer, BuddyTV