Law and Order SVU star Kelli Giddish left fans heartbroken when she announced that she would be bowing out of the popular crime drama after season 24.
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The actress' final episode as Detective Amanda Rollins will air on 8 December. So why is the star leaving? Here's what we know…
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Back in August, Kelli confirmed her exit via a statement to Instagram. "I wanted to address the chatter I've seen online and let everyone know that this will, indeed, be my last season on Law & Order: SVU," she wrote.
"Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life. I've been so fortunate to be a part of the Law & Order family for the last 12 years. There is simply no other character on TV like Rollins. She's grown and changed, and I have as well. I started on this show when I was in my late 20s and I'm grateful I got to spend so many of my adult years with Rollins in my life."
So, why did 42 year old leave the show?
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Earlier this year, it was reported that the star's exit was not her choice, nor the decision made by showrunner David Graziano.
© NBCKelli's last episode will air in December
According to Variety, Kelli's departure was a decision "made from above" in order to keep the show as current as possible.
David, who joined the show for the latest series following the exit of previous showrunner Warren Leight, responded to the news after fans began angrily tagging him in comments on social media.
"You might take a moment to entertain the idea that things are more complex than they appear in a world of emojis and tweets. All I’ll say is Kelli has handled this with the most incredibly classy comportment," he wrote in the comments section of Kelli's Instagram post. "She is, without a doubt, one of the finest industry professionals I’ve come across in my 24 years of writing television. I’m saddened by her looming exit. It’ll be my lucky day if I ever get to write for her again."
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