The 41 Most Shocking Cast Exits Announced In 2021

TV's biggest twists don't always involve shocking paternity reveals, the fighting of frightful fires or unplanned trips to 10,000 B.C.

No, oftentimes it is a cast member's shocking exit that will send jaws dropping to the floor.

When it comes to 2021's most unexpected cast exits, Legacies' Peyton Alex Smith got the ball rolling back in January, when Rafael relocated to a prison world (as a werewolf does). As the year continued to unfold, we saw a trio of Grey's Anatomy favorites scrub out, as did no fewer than eight actors from other medical dramas.

In 2021, two original cast members bid The Flash adieu, a Legends of Tomorrow vet decided to disembark the Waverider and multiple members of the NCIS-verse turned in their proverbial badges — including no less than Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself, when CBS frontman Mark Harmon clocked out after 18-plus years.

All told, we tally more than three dozen actors' departures this calendar year, as detailed below. (NOTE: Since this list is comprised of announcements made in 2021, we're leaving out the likes of China Anne McClain, who revealed she was exiting Black Lightning in 2020, even though her final appearance aired earlier this year.)

Now, because we're going into detail about how these characters left their respective shows, expect spoilers throughout! Now would be a good time to get up to speed on any shows you've been meaning to finish. Don't say we didn't warn you! For everyone else, check down below for our full list of 2021's most shocking exits (which are presented in chronological order) and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Which character(s) will you miss the most?

Still to come in TVLine's Year in Review: TV's Biggest Controversies, Sexiest Scenes, the Character Deaths That Nearly Killed Us, Scene-Stealing Characters, Best Cameos and much, much more!

The fans' collective interest was piqued when Rafael discovered that he descended from King Arthur's line during the CW drama's third season premiere. Finally, one of the show's most overlooked characters was about to get a storyline of his very own! So imagine the fans' subsequent confusion when the werewolf abruptly left Legacies just one week later (Jan. 28), going off to live forever with his estranged parents in a magical prison world.

You might think we'd be desensitized to sudden deaths on Grey's Anatomy by now, but you'd be wrong. We learned this when the ABC drama blindsided us with Andrew DeLuca's death on March 11.

"It was really hard," showrunner Krista Vernoff told TVLine of killing DeLuca. "I tried to chicken out several times through the season. ... Several times, even after we were deep into the shooting of these episodes, I would go into the writers room and say, 'I think we have to save him.' And there was an uprising of like, 'No!' because this story told itself, and it felt important and powerful. As a human being, you're like, 'I don't want to do it. I don't want to lose Giacomo. I don't want to lose DeLuca.' But as a storyteller, you have to honor the story. I don't know... it's sort of a magical process."

A force of nature at Empirical from the jump, Diana Trout has been sorely missed in the TV Land Paramount+ comedy's final season. Shor's brief cameo in Episode 7 was a nice surprise, but it also served to remind us just how vital her character was to the show.

At least fans had some time to prepare for this one. TVLine reported on March 17 that Shor would not be back as a series regular "due to scheduling and Covid-related matters." And she wasn't the only one...

He may not have been around since the beginning, but Zane became a major player in the Younger-verse during his two-season stint as a series regular, especially because of his relationship with Kelsey. So his decision to quit Empirical and break up with Hilary Duff's character in the show's final season premiere (over FaceTime, no less!) came as quite a shock to viewers — even those who had already read about Davis' exit on March 17.

There wasn't a Hallmark card sympathetic enough to ease the disappointment of Chesapeake Shores fans when they learned that series star Jesse Metcalfe would be leaving the show midway through its upcoming fifth season.

"Jesse Metcalfe, who plays Trace Riley, has decided to leave the show," a rep confirmed on March 31. "His character's storyline will wrap up early in Season 5. Jesse is a valued member of the Crown Media family; we look forward to continuing to work with him on projects."

Dillahunt's John Dorie didn't exactly get the warmest welcome when Fear the Walking Dead returned with its midseason premiere on April 11. After spending the episode alternating between expressing his death wish and planning his suicide, Dorie was ultimately turned into a zombie — forcing June to put her husband out of his misery.

Needless to say, the word "pissed" showed up quite a few times in the comments section of TVLine's recap, with one reader insisting, "John's death was the ending for this show."

New Amsterdam's April 13 episode revealed that Dr. Kapoor had resigned from the hospital after a battle with COVID-19, open-heart surgery and a difficult rehab process that left him unable to resume his job. NBC confirmed the next day that Kher would not be returning to the show, while the actor himself wouldn't weigh in for nearly two more weeks.

"This past year has been difficult for so many people around the world, not least for Dr. Kapoor," Kher eventually wrote. "It was an incredibly special time for me to be part of this show and one I will never forget. The New Amsterdam family will always hold a special place in my heart. I am grateful to the audience for their love, support, and good wishes, particularly for my wife, Kirron, at this time. I hope you all will continue to join me on my journey and future projects."

When Purcell announced that Legends of Tomorrow's current sixth season will be his last playing Mick Rory, the only non-surprising part was the extremely Mick way he chose to relay that information.

"Deal isn't done. I have no interest," he wrote in an Instagram post on April 17. "[Whatever] cash they throw on the corporate level. I'm walking away from @cw_legendsoftomorrow. It's been a total pleasure and a humbling experience bringing @dccomics iconic character #heatwave (aka) MICK RORY to life. I smashed this character — not an actor in the world could have done better."

"After deeply thoughtful reflection, I approached the producers some time ago asking to leave the show and they agreed — and gave my character a wonderful sendoff," Wilson confirmed on April 20, the day her final episode of The Resident aired on Fox. "I am appreciative of them for allowing me to embody as beautiful of a soul as Dr. Mina Okafor. I would also like to thank the studio, network, cast, crew and, most of all, the wonderfully dedicated fans of The Resident for their support over the last four seasons."

"Dear Readers, while all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton's quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Regé-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings," Lady Whistledown tweeted from the Netflix drama's official account on April 21. "We'll miss Simon's presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family."

What followed was a whole lot of shock, both from Bridgerton fans, as well as executive producer Shonda Rhimes... who was shocked about the fans being shocked.

"I was really shocked, because usually that happens when I've killed off somebody that's been around for a while," Rhimes told Vanity Fair. "Like, we didn't kill [the Duke], he's still alive!"

He hasn't always played the same character, but Cavanagh has always been an integral member of Team Flash. In fact, that's the exact word showrunner Eric Wallace used when he confirmed Cavanagh and Carlos Valdes' exits on May 4:

"Tom and Carlos have been an integral part of our show for seven seasons, and will be greatly missed," Wallace wrote. "Both are incredible talents who created beloved characters that fans and audiences around the world have come to love. Which is why we are happily keeping the door open for return appearances."

After seven seasons, it'll be hard to imagine a The Flash without Cisco Ramon, yet that's exactly what fans of the Arrowverse drama are being forced to do. As announced on May 4, Valdes will be gone from Central City before the show returns for Season 8.

Real talk: We would have been less excited about Grey's Anatomy's "Japril" reunion if we knew that it would trigger Williams' departure from the show. (The how/why of Jackson's exit strategy remains unclear.)

"Jesse brings so much heart, such depth of care, and so much intelligence to his work," showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement on May 6. "We will miss Jesse terribly and we will miss Jackson Avery — played to perfection for so many years."

Fans of this British series, based on Jane Austen's unfinished novel, were thrilled when PBS unexpectedly ordered two additional seasons on May 6. One day later, they were devastated to learn that James will not return as Sidney Parker.

"Although I relished playing Sidney, for me, I've always maintained that his journey concluded as I wanted it to," James wrote. "The broken fairy-tale like ending between Charlotte and Sidney is different, unique and so interesting to me and I wish the cast and crew of Sanditon every success with future series."

"All good things must come to an end," DeVitto posted to social media on May 12, less than an hour after news broke that she's not returning for Chicago Med Season 7. "It has been such an honor and pure joy to bring Dr. Natalie Manning to life for all of you on Chicago Med for the past 6 seasons. But it is now time for me and her to bow out and say goodbye."

And she's not the only major character putting the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center in her rearview mirror...

DaCosta, another original cast member of Chicago Med, is also hanging up her scrubs ahead of Season 7.

"After six amazing seasons of working with some of the most dedicated people in the business, learning wild medical jargon, growing as an actor and as a person, my time as April Sexton on Chicago Med has come to a close," DaCosta wrote in an Instagram post on May 12.

Chestnut, who has played polarizing neurosurgeon Dr. Barrett Cain since Season 3 of the Fox drama, will not return as a series regular for its fifth season. The actor currently stars in Fox's Lee Daniels series Our Kind of People. 

"I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen with The Resident," he said during a TCA panel for Our Kind of People. "I love the cast; I love everything about that show but I also love everything about this show.

He went on to say that he had a chance to return to The Resident full time but "when the opportunity came to be on this show and I read the script... there was an opportunity to work with Lee and I was a fan of [creator] Karin [Gist]. Once I read the script, I wanted to be part of this world. I felt that this story about affluent wealthy Black people who are not playing ball or in entertainment was something that the world needed to see and I wanted to be a part of that. It was a no-brainer for me to sign onto this show."

After playing Dr. Tom Koracick for four seasons, Germann exited ABC's hit medical drama on May 20, well ahead of its Season 17 finale. It's possible that he may return to Grey's Anatomy as a guest star in the future.

Rodriguez, who has played Benjamin "Benny" Colón since Bull premiered in 2016, will not be returning for Season 6.

Though CBS did not offer a reason for Rodriguez's departure, the casting shocker was reported on May 21 in conjunction with the news that Glenn Gordon Caron would be stepping down as showrunner. This followed an internal investigation by producer CBS Studios after a number of writers quit the show when it wrapped production on Season 5, accusing Caron of "fostering a disrespectful work environment."

In NCIS: Los Angeles' Season 12 finale (May 23), Nell made the decision to not sign on as the new Operations Manager, instead joining partner Eric on an adventure to Tokyo.

"I absolutely loved Nell's journey this season," Smith tells TVLine. "She really got to stand in her power. She really found her voice, and as a young woman it was empowering to play that side of the scene." (Click here to read our full exit interview.)

The NCIS: Los Angeles finale also marked Foa's final appearance as Eric Beale.

"It was just sort of clear that we were, like, winding down this character during this season, so I think we sort of mutually were like, 'This feels right,'" Foa tells TVLine. (Click here to read our full exit interview.)

NCIS' Season 18 finale (May 25) ended with Wickersham's character departing on a covert mission, though it was unclear whether viewers had actually seen the last of Bishop.

Wickersham confirmed her exit on May 26, posting the following to Instagram: "What a great ride it's been. This cast, this crew, are top notch. I can't say enough kind words about this group that I've had the pleasure of working with for close to 8 years now and 172 episodes later. ... Time goes fast. Eat it up but chew slowly."

A series regular for the ABC medical drama's first four seasons, Thomas confirmed her departure from The Good Doctor on June 7.

"I think, ultimately, for me, it's about coming to the point where I think we've really run the gamut of different things that Claire can have gone through," Thomas said. "I'm now really excited to explore different creative opportunities."

Liz Keen spent almost a decade trying to uncover the truth about Red's identity and came really close. But in a surprising twist in the Season 8 finale, she was shot to death by Neville Townsend's right-hand man, thus ending her fact-finding mission.

"These eight years playing Liz Keen have helped me better define the world and myself, as she set out to do the same," Megan Boone, who played Liz, wrote in an Instagram post. "Liz sought incorruptible familial bonds, and collided with powerful forces to reveal the boundaries where a cruel, indifferent world ended and she began."

One week ahead of Macy Vaughn's death in Charmed's third season finale, Mantock — a series regular since the CW reboot premiered in 2018 — TVLine broke the news that the actress wouldn't be returning for a fourth.

"I'm incredibly grateful to The CW and CBS Studios for my time on the show and for being a brilliant support in my difficult decision to leave," Mantock said in a statement on July 19. "Huge thanks to our fans who can look forward to, what I know will be, a spectacular fourth season."

On July 29, The BBC confirmed longstanding rumors that Whittaker will be leaving Doctor Who. A trio of feature-length specials (airing next year, following Season 13) will serve as her sendoff.

"In 2017 I opened my glorious gift box of size 13 shoes. I could not have guessed the brilliant adventures, worlds and wonders I was to see in them. My heart is so full of love for this show, for the team who make it, for the fans who watch it and for what it has brought to my life. And I cannot thank Chris enough for entrusting me with his incredible stories," Whittaker said in a statement.

"We knew that we wanted to ride this wave side by side, and pass on the baton together. So here we are, weeks away from wrapping on the best job I have ever had. I don't think I'll ever be able to express what this role has given me. I will carry the Doctor and the lessons I've learnt forever. I know change can be scary and none of us know what's out there. That's why we keep looking. Travel Hopefully. The Universe will surprise you. Constantly."

Though the circumstances surrounding her character's departure were not revealed at the time, TVLine confirmed on Aug. 30 that Emily VanCamp — who has starred on The Resident since its 2018 premiere — is exiting the Fox medical drama ahead of Season 5.

Officer Jackson West (played in the Season 4 premiere by a stand-in and filmed from the back) was shot dead by drug queenpin La Fiera's hired gun, after original cast member Titus Makin and the ABC procedural parted ways over the summer. "I didn't really have a choice" but to kill off Jackson, showrunner Alexi Hawley told TVLine. "He wasn't coming back, and because of the way we set things up with the [Season 3] finale, there was just no way to tell that story without Jackson."

Ahead of SNL's return for Season 47, rumors had circulated that Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong and/or Pete Davidson would depart the late-night series. Instead, it was fellow SNL mainstay Bennett who exited after eight seasons.

"Love you, SNL. Gonna miss you so much," Bennett wrote on Instagram in September. "Thank you for eight years of remarkable people and incredible experiences that completely changed my life. I had so much fun."

Emmy winner Damian Lewis ended his five-season Billions run in the Showtime drama's Season 5 finale, when Bobby Axelrod went on the lam in Switzerland to escape the legal reach of Paul Giamatti's State Attorney General Chuck Rhoades. "What an incredible joy to spend five years working so closely with the great @lewis_damian!" co-creator/showrunner Brian Koppelman said on Twitter. "[Co-creator] @DavidLevien and I are beyond grateful to you, Damian, for the work, of course, and the fellowship, and for all you sacrificed to come do this with us."

TVLine had reported that Harmon would only appear in "a few" Season 19 episodes, and sure enough, in Episode 4 — after Gibbs & Co. solved the case of a contract killer hired by a conglomerate to clear the way for an environment-poisoning copper mine  — Gibbs decided not to take back his badge, gun and job, when offered by Director Vance, but enjoy a long-elusive "peace" in Alaska, where this multi-episode arc had most recently led him.

NCIS showrunner Steve Binder said in a statement, "As an executive producer and dear friend, Mark continues to be an integral part of the fabric of the show. Our north star has always been staying true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters go. So regarding the future of Gibbs, as long-time fans of the show may have noticed over the years... never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out."

After hinting at the possible departure of Spencer's Matthew Casey, Chicago Fire made it official during the show's 200th episode, at which point Casey decided to move to Oregon to care for his late best friend Andy Darden's sons.

"I realized I've been doing TV for a long time. I added it up, and I think this year is my 18th year of network television," Spencer told reporters at the time of his exit. "It was a difficult decision because I've loved the show from the start, but there are other things that I would like to do in the future, and there's some family that I need to take care of, and 18 years is a long time."

Just one day after Walker's second season premiere aired, Lindsey Morgan announced that she would be exiting the series.

"It is with a heavy heart that I have come to the difficult decision to step away from my role as 'Micki Ramirez' for personal reasons," Morgan wrote in an Instagram statement. "I am extremely grateful to the team at The CW network and CBS Studios, Anna Fricke, the most graceful and compassionate showrunner, Jared Padalecki, a wunder-boss and acting partner-in-crime for fully supporting my decision, while doing everything in their power to make this situation as comfortable as possible."

Just months after Benavides was elevated to series regular on the ABC medical drama, he abruptly departed the show in October. Neither Benavides nor ABC have commented on the actor's sudden exit, and Sony Pictures Television declined comment upon TVLine's initial reporting. Benavides' character, surgical attending Dr. Mateo Rendón Osma, ultimately departed the show unceremoniously, with Mateo quietly leaving town for a medical mission.

Episode 7 of The Morning Show's sophomore run brought the unexpected death of Carell's Mitch Kessler, who perished after driving his car off an Italian roadway. As showrunner Kerry Ehrin told The Hollywood Reporter at the time, Mitch's death "was always in my head where [his story] was going."

It was reported on Nov. 5 that Emilio Estevez won't be returning for Season 2 of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. According to Deadline, Disney passed on the actor's option after a back-and-forth over the series' requirement for COVID vaccination.

Estevez refuted claims that he was anti-vaxx, saying in a statement that after recovering from COVID, he returned to filming in Vancouver in August 2020 and followed the country's COVID protocols despite suffering from "long haul" symptoms.

"In retrospect, I wrongly chose to protect the show over being transparent about having contracted COVID-19," he noted. "My exit from the show was due to a myriad of creative differences — any other narrative is false."

He went on to say that he was "as disappointed as you are" about not returning and wished the cast and crew a "wonderful Season 2 on the show and please know that I will miss you all."

Not even Meredith Grey can repair the Dean-sized hole in our hearts following the first responder's tragic death during the Grey's Anatomy/Station 19 crossover that aired on Nov 11.

"It's been a pleasure being Dean," Onaodowan said in a statement. "I have Shonda Rhimes, Stacy McKee, Krista Vernoff, Paris Barclay and ABC to thank for allowing me to bring him to life. I am grateful I got to work with the most loving, kind and dedicated crew in network TV.

"And most importantly, thanks to the fans for showing Dean so much love," he added. "I hope he has inspired you to change your world for the better. Be the change!"

Dunbar's Michael finally received his family's support after coming out as gay and, in the Nov. 16 episode, began making plans to propose to his boyfriend, David. But hours after the episode aired, Dunbar (who'd been with the show since its premiere in 2018) shocked fans with the announcement that that would be his final appearance on the show. The actor revealed that he exited the series because of its COVID-19 vaccine requirement.

"I applied for religious and medical accommodations pursuant to the law and unfortunately was denied by my employer. My sincerely held beliefs and private medical history are very intimate and personal aspects of my life that I do not publicly discuss and have no desire to start now," he explained.

In response, 20th Television issued the following statement: "We take the health and safety of all of our employees very seriously, and have implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process for those working in Zone A on our productions. In order to ensure a safer workplace for all, Zone A personnel who do not confirm their vaccination status and do not meet the criteria for exemption will not be eligible to work."

After two seasons following the story of the Civic Republic Military, Maggie Grace's Al made a surprising departure in the Nov. 21 episode when she found her love interest Isabelle, who'd been missing. With the CRM looking for them, the pair decided to live their lives together as fugitives — thus severing their connection with FTWD's main group.

"So grateful for this dynamic character, this close-knit cast, and grateful as hell for the hardest working crew in the business," Grace wrote on Instagram.

Longtime cast member Burton was written out of General Hospital in the Nov. 22 episode, which saw his character, Jason Morgan, declared missing after being caught in a tunnel collapse while trying to rescue his lost brother.

The actor confirmed on Instagram that General Hospital's COVID-19 vaccine mandate prompted his exit. "Unfortunately, General Hospital has let me go, because of the vaccine mandate," Burton wrote. "I'll always be grateful for my time on General Hospital. I love it there; I grew up there. I believe that when one door closes, multiple doors open... so I am excited to see what the future brings. And maybe one day, if these mandates are lifted, I can return and can finish my career as Jason Morgan."

Josie Saltzman's departure from Mystic Falls in Legacies' midseason finale (Dec. 16) also marked Kaylee Bryant's final episode as a series regular.

"As a fan of The Vampire Diaries universe myself, thank you to The CW and Warner Bros. TV for giving me this opportunity," Bryant said a statement to TVLine. "I am so grateful to the fans and will love them always and forever for welcoming and accepting me into this world. Josie has helped so many beautiful humans feel comfortable in their sexuality, and I hope her legacy lives on so that one day everyone feels free to love whoever they want regardless of gender."