Her co-stars and CBS confirmed her exit.
Emily Wickersham is saying goodbye to NCIS! On Tuesday's NCIS season 18 finale, Wickersham's character, Ellie Bishop, left for a top secret undercover mission. ET can now confirm that she will not be returning next season.
"We can confirm that Emily will not be returning next season," a rep for NCIS tells ET.
There is a chance Ellie Bishop could return to the series for future guest appearances, but she did exit the show as a series regular in Tuesday night's finale.
Fans were first surprised when Wickersham took to Instagram, implying that the special agent is leaving the long-running procedural for good.
"Hangin this hat and jacket up," Wickersham captioned a series of photos, including one of her in an NCIS hat and jacket. "What a great ride it’s been."
She went on to reflect on her time on the show, which she joined in 2013.
"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 eight years now and 172 episodes later," she continued. "This business is finicky and weird and consistency is a rarity. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of a show where I got to show up and act and laugh and learn with wonderful people. A moment in time I surely won’t forget. Thank you CBS and NCIS for including me in a part of television history."
She concluded her post, writing, "Time goes fast. Eat it up but chew slowly. ❤️ #ncis #cbs."
Her co-star, Brian Dietzen, who plays Jimmy Palmer, commented on the post, "So damn proud of you my friend. Also, I’m gonna miss the hell outta you on set. I can’t wait to see what you do next. Whatever it is, I’ll be there in the front row. Thank you. ❤️"
Diona Reasonover, who plays Kasie Hines, also wrote, "❤️ Thank you for everything, friend."
CBS, the network that airs NCIS, also commented on the post with crying face and heart emojis, writing, "Thanks for making history with us." The network's account added, "Our one and only Ellie Bishop."
- Reporting by Philiana Ng.
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