'NCIS' Cast Talks Season 11 and Recent Departures

Recently, fans of NCIS were shocked with show favorite Cote de Pablo, who plays Ziva David on the show, announced she would be leaving. It was stunning news, considering she has been a core character since 2005 and the fact that during the 2012-13 season, NCIS was the most-watched show in America.

But the cast of the massively-popular CBS series had nothing but love and positive wishes for the departing actress when ET visited the set during the production of the show's 11th season.

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"Cote was here eight years," said NCIS star Mark Harmon, who leads the show's crew of investigators as Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. "That's high school and college. It's a long time. And we wish her well, but we're going to continue to try to grow here."

"Cote is a very special friend to me, and someone who I have gotten to know so incredibly well," said Michael Weatherly, who plays Anthony DiNozzo. "We miss her around here, but we understand that everybody's journey takes them on different adventures."

For a show to be on for 11 years and still be as watched and beloved by audiences around the country, it says a lot about the writing and the cast.

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"We've been here 11 years, and it doesn't feel like it," said Sean Murray, who plays the lovable Timothy McGee on the show. "I've been places where you're somewhere for a month and you're dying to get off of it."

"It's so fun. I think that’s one reason it's really popular," said series regular Diane Neal. "It is the nicest cast, and the nicest crew, and there is so much fun."

Check out the video for more from the cast of the hit police procedural about Cote De Pablo, the upcoming season 11 premiere, and the future of the show.

NCIS Season 11 premieres September 24 on CBS.