Hours after news broke that Parks and Recreation regulars Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones would be exiting the NBC series midway through the sixth season, showrunner Mike Schur has issued a statement regarding their imminent departures.
The executive producer, who confirmed that they will both leave after the 13th episode, hinted that there had been many discussions in previous years about the futures of Chris Traeger (Lowe) and Ann Perkins (Jones). Season five culminated in the former couple reuniting romantically.
"We've been working on their storyline (on and off) for four seasons now, and heading into this year, with the two of them contemplating parenthood, it felt like a natural time to move them into the next phase," Schur wrote in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
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"We absolutely love Rashida and Rob, and will be sad to see them go," he wrote. Schur praised Jones and Lowe, calling them "wonderful, funny, committed actors" and "a huge part of the Parks and Rec family."
"Rashida was one of the very first people we knew we wanted in the cast, and as important as Ann is to Leslie (and vice-versa), she'll certainly never be far from Pawnee. Rob we initially thought we could only have for six or eight episodes, and we couldn't be happier that he will have stuck around for 75," he continued.
Schur assured fans of Parks and Recreation that the writers will craft memorable exits for the two characters, saying that "we have a great Pawnee send-off in the works for them."
Parks and Recreation is one of two veteran comedies NBC renewed after cleaning house on the comedy side earlier this year in an effort to revamp its sitcom lineup. Community, NBC's other returning comedy, has yet to receive a slot on NBC's schedule and will feature Donald Glover in a reduced role for season five.
Schur will be on hand Thursday during Fox's portion of the Television Critics Association press tour to tout rookie comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which he executive produces with Dan Goor.
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Parks and Recreation will air a one-hour, London-set premiere on Sept. 26 as a kickoff to back-to-back episodes of new comedy The Michael J. Fox Show. Henry Winkler, Kristen Bell and Ben Schwartz will be among the faces coming to the comedy in the new season.
Read Schur's full statement below:
“The news about Rob and Rashida is true -- they will be leaving the show after the 13th episode of the upcoming season six. We've been working on their storyline (on and off) for four seasons now, and heading into this year, with the two of them contemplating parenthood, it felt like a natural time to move them into the next phase.
We absolutely love both Rashida and Rob, and will be sad to see them go. Rashida was one of the very first people we knew we wanted in the cast, and as important as Ann is to Leslie (and vice-versa), she'll certainly never be far from Pawnee. Rob we initially thought we could only have for six or eight episodes, and we couldn't be happier that he will have stuck around for 75.
They are wonderful, funny, committed actors, they've been a huge part of the Parks and Rec family, and we think we have a great Pawnee send-off in the works for them.”
E-mail: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
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