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LOS ANGELES: William Petersen has decided to leave “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” after more than eight seasons as forensics specialist Gil Grissom.
The tenth episode of the hit show’s upcoming season will be Peterson’s last as a full-time series regular, executive producer Carol Mandelsohn confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.
Petersen’s lead role as Grissom on “CSI”, which debuted on CBS in 2000, was key in making the show a universal hit, allowing it broaden its franchise to “CSI: Miami” (2002) and “CSI: NY” (2004).
However, Petersen stresses he will remain as an executive producer and will be back as an occasional guest star on the series, a key component to CBS’ long success in prime-time TV.
“CSI” is ready to deal with Petersen’s loss, its producers said.
“Shows lucky enough to go this long inevitably have to deal with this kind of change,” Naren Shankar told The Associate Press.
A new male investigator will join “CSI”, a role that has yet to be cast.
“Whoever comes in and joins the team after Grissom is going to be a different guy. But the nature of the show and what the fans get out of it, that’s not going to change,” Shankar said.
There will be a “reunion” of past characters that will appear in the episodes leading up to Grimsson’s departure, among them his former colleague and love interest Sara Sidle, played by Jorja Fox; the Miniature Killer and sexy Lady Heather.
The American drama television series that trails the investigations of a team of Las Vegas scientists as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths and crimes, finished last season as CBS’ top-rated series, ranking No. 9 among all shows with an average weekly audience of 17 million.
- CNA/jk
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