Perrette has played forensic scientist Abby Sciuto since the show began.
It’s time to say goodbye to Abby Sciuto! NCIS star Pauley Perrette took to Twitter on Wednesday to confirm that she’s exiting the hit CBS show after 15 seasons.
“So it is true that I am leaving NCIS… There have been all kinds of false rumors as to why (NO I DON’T HAVE A SKIN CARE LINE AND NO MY NETWORK AND SHOW ARE NOT MAD AT ME!),” she jokingly wrote.
She went on to explain that the decision to leave has been in the works for a while.
“It was a decision made last year. I hope everyone will love and enjoy EVERYTHING ABBY not only for the rest of this season but for everything she has given all of us for 16 years,” she wrote. “All the love, all the laughter, all the inspiration… I love her as much as you do.”
NCIS executive producers George Schenck and Frank Cardea reacted to the news with a statement on Wednesday.
"We've known for some time this would be Pauley’s final season on NCIS and have been working toward a special send-off," Schenck and Cardea said. "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."
Meanwhile, CBS said in a statement, "Pauley has been 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."
Perrette opened up to ET’s Kevin Frazier in December 2016 of about the success of her hit procedural.
“Last year they had said that at any given moment, there’s 59 million people watching NCIS somewhere on the planet, so no, I can’t go anywhere [without being recognized],” she revealed.
At the time, she also opened up about her jarring 2015 attack from a homeless man, saying, “Physically I am fine. Emotionally, you know, that was a very traumatic event.”
For more from Perrette, watch the clip below!
