3 major stars to leave Glee after season 3 [** Spoilers **]

Basq

I won't spoil who it is here (highlight the article to read who).. but it could be a BIG loss.

Could be first signs of the show's demise maybe? Major cast departures are never good but from Ryan Murphy's comments below, it looks pretty damn bad!

Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy has confirmed that stars

Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer

will not appear in the show's fourth season.

Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter that the trio's alter egos Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson and Kurt Hummel will graduate at the end of season three.

He explained: "You can keep them on the show for six years and people will criticize you for not being realistic, or you can be really true to life and say when they started the show they were very clearly sophomores and they should graduate at the end of their senior year."

Murphy added that "more characters are leaving than are staying" when the season ends.

Murphy also confirmed that Colfer and Michele had been involved in the plans, adding: "We made that decision and I involved Chris and Lea and they thought that was a good idea.

"They both trust the writing and trust me and felt that it would be great to have an open and closed experience for them to go out while they were on top."

He also added that while he had not yet discussed his plans with Monteith, the actor "knows [Finn] was a sophomore when the show started".

Chord Overstreet, who plays Sam Evans, may leave Glee after executives decided not to give his character series regular status.

However, an insider said that Overstreet is "welcome" back to the show when filming starts again next month.

Glee will return to US screens on Tuesday, September 20 at 8/7c on Fox. A UK premiere date for season three is to be confirmed.

JP Liz V1

They could have them back for guest spots during the 4th season

Pigwidgeon

I'd always kind of assumed something like this. Similar to skins, where they graduated and they brought in a new cast.

JP Liz V1

How does Finn graduate?

I kinda assumed him and Brittany would still be there in their 30s in high school

JP Liz V1

http://www.tvline.com/2011/07/chris-colfer-emmy-leaving-glee/

Chris Colfer talks

TVLINE | Would “disappointed” also be a fair assessment of your reaction to being “graduated” off the show?
It’s definitely not my choice. But I completely understand that it works for the integrity of the show. One of the things that I love about Glee is, despite characters breaking into song in the middle of the hallway, it was very real to me. It always seemed like a very real high school environment. And I think by having some characters graduate, they’ll continue having that element.

TVLINE | And of course this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of Kurt Hummel, right? There could be a spinoff.
As of right now, it’s just rumors. I’m not attached or signed on for any spinoff. There hasn’t been anything official yet.

Richard Dower

I'll guarantee Diana Agron will want to leave next, she thinks she's a huge star now.

JP Liz V1

Richard Dower wrote: »

I'll guarantee Diana Agron will want to leave next, she thinks she's a huge star now.

Would anyone miss her?

I myself never took to the character Quinn

There is talk of a spin off show about Kurt

Richard Dower

:rolleyes: cowboys running this show :rolleyes:

http://www.tvline.com/2011/07/glee-comic-con-michele-monteith-colfer-overstreet/

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/07/24/glee-lea-michele-chris-colfer-cory-monteith-not-leaving/
seriously....who is running this trainwreck?....Murphy says one thing, creates a sh*tstorm...few days later Falchuck says different, the show is a total farce!

JP Liz V1

Amber Riley has teased that she could be leaving Glee at the end of next season.

The 25-year-old expressed uncertainty about her character Mercedes Jones's future on the Fox comedy, following the announcement that Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer will all depart the show in 2012.

"I may not be coming back for a fourth season," Riley hinted to E!. "Who knows?

"Whatever happens, this third season is what happens, and I think everybody's okay with it... I love my job to pieces, but when it's time to go, it's time to go and, hopefully, there are greater things on the horizon."

Riley further admitted that she had not been forewarned of the Glee shake-up by co-creator Ryan Murphy, but was quick to play down the "scandal" sparked by Colfer's claim to be unaware of his axing.

"I found out about it like everybody else did, on the internet," she revealed. "But it's something that's not that surprising to us, and I think it's just more surprising to others.

"People think it's such a scandal when, really, it's not. I think it's smart to have new students come in... and I'm really excited."

Riley earlier claimed that Michele, Monteith and Colfer are "fine" about leaving Glee.

Richard Dower

Ryan Murphy, backtracking....spin merchant supremo: http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/exclusive-ryan-murphy-talks-for-first-time-about-glee-spinoff-show-firings-controversy/

He's throwing Chris/Lea and Cory under the bus!

Richard Dower

"the plan", what is this?....BSG??

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Glee-Chris-Colfer-1035857.aspx