They walked away from hit sitcoms at the height of their success – some lived to regret it

Picture the scene: after years of auditioning as an unknown, you're finally the star of a successful TV series – do you stay put for as long as possible or continue searching for greener pastures?

The more risk-averse among us would understandably choose the former, but these 11 actors thought otherwise, opting to exit their respective sitcoms early in pursuit of bolder opportunities.

For some, the gutsy decision paved the way to showbiz glory, and for others, it marked the beginning of a decline into obscurity or notoriety.

From recent favourites to classics from decades' past, these are the actors that took their fate into their own hands – including why they did it and what happened next.

Paul Schneider quit Parks and Recreation in season 2

A potential love interest for Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) disappeared without a trace after the second season of Parks and Recreation – leaving fans scratching their heads.

Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider) was a cynical and aloof city planner with whom Leslie had shared a romantic evening several years earlier.

Alas, their one-time fling wasn't a big deal for Mark, who does not reciprocate Leslie's crush or even remember their fleeting encounter at first.

What might have developed into another sitcom 'will-they-won't-they' was instead scrapped when Schneider decided to leave Parks and Recreation in its infancy.

Why did Paul Schneider leave Parks and Recreation?

It would be a full four years until the actor properly detailed his reasons for parting ways with the production, claiming it came down to creative choices that affected his character.

Originally a somewhat spiky figure, Mark didn't mix well with the increasingly optimistic tone that Parks and Recreation adopted from season 2 onwards.

"That experience was very strange for me," he told ScreenCrush. "I signed up for a specific character that was changed in mid-season. And it became a character with a lot less to do, and all of a sudden, I was kind of confused."

Interestingly, an earlier account of the situation, from Parks and Recreation co-creator Mike Schur, presented a different version of events.

The screenwriter claimed that Mark always intended to make an early exit, but wanted to go on to take varied guest roles in a career spanning both government and private sector jobs.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

"He would leave again and come back, and so on... It's not something you usually do on TV shows but we thought it was a good way to illustrate both the positive and negative aspects of working for a government," said Schur (via LA Times).

"It was one of the first things we talked about with [Schneider, when he was cast]."

In 2014, as Parks and Recreation was nearing its conclusion, fans speculated over whether Mark would return for a cameo appearance, but alas, it didn't come to pass.

In fact, contrary to Schur's stated plan, the character of Mark Brendanawicz was effectively blotted out of the show's history as he was never mentioned again.

Schneider told ScreenCrush that he was "not interested in going back" and had "never been contacted about that," but was complimentary of the direction that the show took in his absence.

"I was very happy for the experience, to be involved, and those guys really figured out what it is they're doing," he said. "I mean, they have the First Lady [Michelle Obama] in the show."

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

What happened next?

Schur cited the awards buzz around Schneider's 2009 film Bright Star – a Jane Campion-directed biopic of poet John Keats – as a secondary reason for Schneider's departure.

"We hope that he won't just do award-winning movie after award-winning movie," joked Schur to LA Times, nodding to Schneider's past roles in Lars and the Real Girl, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

In the end, this hot streak did essentially fizzle out.

Schneider's subsequent features, such as Robert Pattinson's Water for Elephants, Christian Bale's The Flowers of War and Woody Allen's Café Society failed to make a major dent on the awards circuit, nor were they commercial hits.

The actor has rarely been out of work, however, between indie films and various roles in notable TV shows, including The Tunnel, American Crime Story, Murdaugh: A Death in the Family and Apple TV's Cape Fear remake.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

Arguably, the greater consequence of Schneider's exit was the void it left for Adam Scott to fill as dorky auditor Ben Wyatt – and Leslie's eventual husband. Scott would later reunite with Schur for The Good Place, before landing his Apple TV mega-hit Severance.

Back in 2010, Schur was adamant (no pun intended) that Scott's Ben was not a direct replacement for Schneider's Mark.

"It's not like the government is firing Mark and replacing him with Adam's character," he said. "Adam is from a different world. It's not the same thing."

Sure, Mike.

Multi-hyphenate superstar Donald Glover didn't get where he is today by standing still.

He left a comfy writing job on 30 Rock for a starring role in experimental sitcom Community, and called time on that gig years later as new opportunities beckoned.

To be fair, Glover's time on Community was by no means an easy pay cheque.

The series was notorious for late scripts and last-minute revisions, as well as its dramatic behind-the-scenes feud between creator Dan Harmon and comedy veteran Chevy Chase.

The volatile situation culminated in Harmon being sacked after season 3, leading to an often derided fourth instalment (referred to by fans as "the gas leak year").

Harmon was rehired for the fifth run, by which point Chase had quit – and rising star Glover wouldn't be far behind.

In the will of the late Pierce Hawthorne (Chase), the character's fortune was left to Troy Barnes (Glover) with the condition that he use it to explore the world.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

More important than the aforementioned tumult (although it can't have helped matters) was that Glover's career was picking up exciting momentum.

Years earlier, his impactful social media campaign to audition for Peter Parker in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man influenced comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis to create the now-beloved character of Miles Morales.

And while he never did become Marvel's wall-crawling superhero, Glover had another major win when FX commissioned his original comedy-drama Atlanta in 2013.

This buzzy project, along with a rapidly expanding music career as Childish Gambino, demanded that he step away from Community – to the disappointment of fans, and creator Harmon alike.

"A good portion of the ending lines to scenes in Community would be ones that Donald would just riff on the spot," Harmon told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017.

"I remember there was a transitional point where we literally started writing in the script, 'And then Donald says something funny'."

He added: "I needed to convince myself that Donald leaving wasn't the death of the show, but now that it's all over, I think we can agree that it was."

What happened next?

Glover is, without a doubt, the single most successful alumni of Greendale Community College. That's no slight towards his former co-stars – he's just set the bar very high.

As Childish Gambino, he's released three further studio albums since leaving the sitcom, including hit singles Redbone (featured in Academy Award winner Get Out) and This is America (accompanied by a viral and acclaimed music video).

Meanwhile, on screen, he's joined the Marvel multiverse as Aaron Davis aka Prowler (in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Across the Spider-Verse) – the wayward uncle of Miles Morales, a character he partly inspired.

Glover has also filled Billy Dee Williams's boots as Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story, but his once-promised spin-off is one of many Star Wars projects to never materialise.

He also created an acclaimed reinvention of Mr & Mrs Smith for Prime Video, in addition to taking voice roles in Disney's 'live-action' Lion King film and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, both of which grossed north of $1 billion.

However, his status in the industry hasn't caused him to distance himself from Community.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he joined a virtual table-read of a season 5 episode, reprising the role of Troy Barnes. He's also assured fans he would be involved in the fabled Community movie, should it actually happen.

"We're working on it right now," Glover told Entertainment Tonight in April 2026. "I know everybody's been saying that for forever, but I swear to you, I'm not lying about this. I really think that something is gonna happen soon."

Although Harmon feels that Glover's exit marked the end of Community's golden age, it did continue for a well-liked sixth season on short-lived streamer Yahoo Screen – fulfilling the first half of the show's "six seasons and a movie" catchphrase.

Lacey Chabert quit Family Guy in season 2

Mila Kunis has spent a quarter of a century as Meg Griffin on Family Guy, but she wasn't the original choice for the long-suffering Quahog teen.

That honour goes to Lacey Chabert, best known as Gretchen Wieners in comedy classic Mean Girls, who voiced the role for a season and a half.

Why did Lacey Chabert leave Family Guy?

Chabert told GameSpy in a since-archived interview that she parted ways with the animated series on her own terms, to free up time while finishing her education and co-starring in family drama Party of Five.

Back then, Family Guy was not the institution it is today. In fact, just a couple of years after Chabert left the show, it was cancelled by the FOX network due to low ratings, which might have vindicated her choice in the short term.

However, four years later, it was resurrected due to strong sales on DVD, and has remained a constant presence on screens ever since (even if fans agree that its best days are behind it).

Regardless of quality, it's been a lucrative gig for Kunis – who also joined Seth MacFarlane in his hit comedy film Ted and its sequel – leading some to brand Chabert's decision to quit Family Guy a colossal mistake.

MacFarlane told IGN in 2003, during Family Guy's limbo period, that Chabert's early exit didn't stir up any ill feeling among the cast and crew of the animated sitcom.

"It was nothing – there was no tension or anything. She wanted to go, and she was very cool about it," he explained.

"We obviously don't want to keep anyone there who doesn't want to be there. So, you know, it was early on enough in the show that it wasn't a huge – that happens from time to time, you've got to replace a voice actor."

What happened next?

On Chabert's replacement, MacFarlane added: "Fortunately, what Mila [Kunis] brought to it was, in a lot of ways, I thought, almost more right for the character.

"I say that Lacey did a phenomenal job, but there was something about Mila – something very natural about Mila."

The hiccup didn't slow Chabert down, either. A few years after parting ways with Family Guy and finishing Party of Five, she would land arguably her most iconic role of Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls.

The Tina Fey-penned teen comedy would prove to be a modest box office success, before enjoying a long life on home media and a high status as a genre classic.

However, Chabert's career wouldn't remain in theatrically released films, as from 2015 onwards her primary focus has been projects for the Hallmark Channel (a US-based network specialising in cosy romcoms and heartfelt dramas).

Despite a sturdy career in that space, Family Guy's cheeky writers have made their thoughts clear on Chabert's outcomes since leaving the series.

In a time travel story, titled Back to the Pilot, Brian and Stewie witness the events of the first episode from a new perspective, complete with archive audio of Chabert's Meg Griffin.

Upon hearing his older sister's original voice, Stewie remarks: "She sounds like someone who's about to give up a huge opportunity."

Steve Carrell quit The Office (US) in season 7

In 2010, when reports emerged that Steve Carell was eyeing an early exit from The Office (US), some fans waved them off as a high-stakes negotiating tactic.

After all, at that point in its history, the show was among the top-rated on US network NBC, with Carell reported to have been earning $300,000 per episode.

Why did Steve Carell leave The Office (US)?

The actor himself later assured he wasn't bargaining, but simply yearning to spend more time with his family (via The Guardian).

Of course, a plethora of incoming career opportunities couldn't have hurt, either.

"I want to fulfil my contract," he told E! News. "When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go."

And so, in the show's seventh season, Michael Scott bid farewell to his colleagues at Dunder-Mifflin, moving to Colorado for a new life with fiancé, Holly (Amy Ryan).

When Carell's exit was confirmed, The Office (US) cast and crew approached it more as a change in the show's dynamic than a signal to end things altogether.

What happened next?

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

Years earlier, writer and co-star Mindy Kaling (Kelly Kapoor) had advocated for the sitcom to adopt a similar approach to medical drama ER, with regard to how "characters were recycled out and new characters came on" (via Vanity Fair).

In the end, that's more or less what The Office attempted. But even diehard fans would be hard-pushed to argue that the show hadn't lost something when Carell clocked off.

There were prospects in the form of original stars John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson, plus later recruits Ed Helms and James Spader, but an obvious successor never fully emerged.

The absence of Michael Scott exacerbated an overall decline in the quality of the writing, leading NBC to call time on The Office in 2013, after nine seasons.

Carell did return for a guest spot in the well-received series finale, which was a good-natured gesture considering how busy he became after leaving the show.

In addition to further comedic work in Crazy Stupid Love, Anchorman 2 and the Despicable Me films, Carell earned a reputation as a serious actor through the likes of Foxcatcher (for which he was Oscar nominated), The Big Short, Beautiful Boy and Vice.

He would eventually reunite with The Office producer Greg Daniels for Netflix sitcom Space Force, but the high-budget satire proved a critical and commercial failure.

McLean Stevenson quit M*A*S*H* in season 3

Alas, not everyone is as blessed as Steve Carell in their post-sitcom career.

At the end of M*A*S*H season 3, commander Henry Blake (played by McLean Stevenson) bid farewell to his fellow servicemen and women in South Korea, after receiving an honourable discharge to return to the United States.

As if the goodbyes weren't emotional enough, a devastating last-minute twist saw Henry's aircraft downed by enemy fire, leaving no survivors. It was one of many moments in which the harsh reality of war engulfed the jovial nature of the show's characters.

And for Stevenson, it meant that there could be no going back. Leaving M*A*S*H would be a make or break decision for his career.

Why did McLean Stevenson leave M*A*S*H?

McLean Stevenson is an infamous example of Hollywood ambition unfulfilled, having left his supporting role as Henry in the hit war comedy to pursue a career as a leading man.

Stevenson followed up M*A*S*H by leading a string of critically panned sitcoms, all of which failed; seldom seen titles like The McLean Stevenson Show, In The Beginning, Hello, Larry, and Condo faded into obscurity soon after their short lives ended.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

"I did some terrible shows," recalled Stevenson of his post-M*A*S*H years, in a 1990 interview with the Baltimore Sun. "But nobody made me do it. I did everything by choice. I love working."

He added: "I made the mistake of believing that people were enamoured of McLean Stevenson, when the person they were enamoured of was Henry Blake... I've never been able to work with a group that's as talented or scripts that are as good [as M*A*S*H]."

What happened next?

Stevenson did still work regularly for the rest of his career, but never in the juicy starring roles for which he'd once yearned, with his reputation being damaged by what some viewed as a hubristic resignation.

Sadly, in the mid-90s, he began to suffer ill health, which halted any further screen appearances. While recovering from bladder cancer, he died from a heart attack in 1996.

Katy Wix quit Ghosts (UK) in season 4

On rare occasions, a beloved actor leaving a show can reap unexpected rewards.

Such was the case when British comedy gem Katy Wix decided to take her bow, after years spent as Button House's medieval peasant and witch trial victim Mary in Ghosts.

Created by the six-person team behind Horrible Histories and Yonderland, the BBC hit (which has spawned several international adaptations and an imminent film) was masterful at delivering rapid fire gags and moments of moving sentimentality.

When it came time to send Wix off, the writers leaned into the latter side of the equation to create one of Ghosts' most memorable episodes in 'Gone Gone'.

The episode opens with Mary being "sucked off" – the delightful innuendo used to describe when a ghost is transported to the next plane of the afterlife – without any warning whatsoever.

From there, the episode unfolds as an exploration of the remaining characters' grief, which struck particularly hard among viewers who had lost loved ones suddenly in real life.

Why did Katy Wix leave Ghosts?

Co-creator and star Ben Willbond, who led the writing of the episode, gave Radio Times an insight into the process shortly after the episode aired.

"Katy had made that decision and we spent a lot of time figuring out how to do it, and how to do it sensitively and carefully," he recalled. "It was nerve-wracking."

On Wix's resignation, co-creator Laurence Rickard elaborated: "We totally understood Katy's reasoning and she is so reasonable about it.

"Obviously, with anything like that, there's a logical side of you that's going, 'It makes sense to do this and to do this now.' And there's part of you that goes, 'Oh, but I get to hang out with these people and it's so much fun.'"

He added: "It was really weird and very emotional for us. And also for her, to kind of go, 'Well, thanks so much, goodbye.' But she felt the time was right and we understood and respected that."

What happened next?

Wix was already a well-established name in British comedy prior to joining Ghosts, due to roles in Not Going Out, Agatha Raisin, The Windsors and Stath Lets Flats, so leaving may not have been overly daunting for her.

Sure enough, she barrelled straight into another acclaimed sitcom in the form of Channel 4's Big Boys, playing university employee Jules (who hadn't quite let go of her student years).

The character revealed hidden depths in the third and final season, as the hard-hitting fate of Danny (Jon Pointing) came to the fore; a moving and urgent storyline inspired by creator Jack Rooke's real-life experiences.

Wix also nabbed a recurring role on international hit Ted Lasso, appearing across seasons 3 and 4 of the Apple TV phenomenon. There's no doubt her career will continue to produce iconic characters in the years ahead.

Fortunately, Ghosts has also been able to march on despite such a notable loss, returning for a fifth season on BBC One before jumping to the big screen for this year's The Possession of Button House.

Toper Grace quit That '70s Show in season 7

After seven seasons on the air, That '70s Show suffered two major blows as both Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher announced they would be leaving the sitcom.

For Kutcher, that proved to be a soft exit, given that he maintained a recurring presence throughout the eighth and final season.

But Grace's absence was more consequential, broken only by a brief cameo in the last ever episode.

Why did Topher Grace leave That '70s Show?

The decision came about as Grace was seeing an uptick in his career prospects, having secured the coveted role of Eddie Brock aka Venom in hotly anticipated blockbuster Spider-Man 3.

It was a promising sign that he could become part of a new generation of Hollywood leading men. Yet fate had other plans.

What happened next?

Many debates have been held online regarding whether Spider-Man 3 "killed" Topher Grace's career.

Despite being a strong performer at the global box office – reaching just shy of $900 million – the conclusion to Sam Raimi's trilogy proved polarising at best among fans.

A large portion of the criticism was directed at its portrayal of Venom, who Raimi had only included in the film at the behest of the studio. His lack of enthusiasm for the character was clear to see.

Ultimately, Spider-Man 3 left such a bad taste that Sony Pictures opted to reboot the franchise with Andrew Garfield in the lead, rather than continue to a fourth entry.

In other words, it wasn't a great foot forward for a sitcom actor's first foray into mega-budget filmmaking, and it may have coloured Grace's later filmmaker-focused approach.

Indeed, while the actor's inclination towards smaller roles or indie films has been mocked by his detractors, Grace has made it clear that he's exactly where he wants to be.

In a 2018 interview with IndieWire, he explained: "Five or six years ago, I looked around at my life... and it occurred to me that I was really lucky to have been on a sitcom for a lot of years. I realised then that I didn't really need a lot more money."

He continued to say that, as opposed to chasing the "financially motivated" goal of mega star status, he actually didn't "want to do anything but work with auteurs".

To that end, Grace has partnered with Christopher Nolan (on Interstellar), Spike Lee (on BlacKkKlansman) and, most recently, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (on horror flick Heretic).

This career ethos is corroborated by an earlier interview, from 2010, with The Fade In.

"I would be bummed if I'd settled into one thing [in 10 years' time]. It's more what I'm trying to avoid, because it's very easy to do that," said Grace.

"The whole system is geared toward making you settle into where you're more of a commodity when you do that."

Olivia Colman quit Peep Show after season 7

For Peep Show fans, watching former JLB employee and one-time blushing sobbing bride Sophie Chapman (Olivia Colman) become a global superstar has been a thrill – but it was also a long time coming.

Colman had a slow-but-steady rise to fame that made her eventual Oscar gold feel especially earned, with some of her earliest work being opposite comic duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb.

She became so synonymous with their projects that, in the late 2000s, Colman told The Times that her agent had "suggested I should be open to more different things".

As a result, she stepped back from sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look halfway through its four-season run. "There were tears when that decision was taken," she admitted.

At the time, she assured readers that she'd "always find time for Peep Show," but had to go back on that promise just a few years later as her career began its glorious ascent.

Why did Olivia Colman leave Peep Show?

Colman is entirely absent from season 8, first broadcast in late 2012, but came back for a short guest appearance three years later in the delayed ninth (and final) chapter.

The move is contextualised by her agent's advice to put professional distance between herself and two dear friends, but it also cleared valuable time in Colman's otherwise packed schedule.

At the time of season 8's filming, Colman was also working on TV comedies Rev and Twenty Twelve, as well as historical drama Hyde Park on Hudson, where she portrayed the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

The breakaway from Mitchell and Webb may have been difficult at the time, but you can hardly argue with the results.

What happened next?

In the early 2010s, Colman's growing dramatic footprint arguably brought her more attention.

Roles in Tyrannosaur, Broadchurch and The Night Manager paved the way for a winning partnership with celebrated filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, spanning 2016's The Lobster and smash-hit The Favourite just two years later.

The second of those features earned Colman her Academy Award win, which would be swiftly followed by two more nominations for The Father and The Lost Daughter.

But don't go thinking that Colman has left her old pals behind!

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

Just last year, the global star recently competed in a Peep Show-themed The Great Christmas Bake-Off as well as making a guest appearance in the comedy duo's latest sketch show, Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping.

Presumably, any fears that she might be overshadowed have long since subsided.

Anna Faris quit Mom after season 7

If you had a pound for every time a major star unceremoniously departed a hit Chuck Lorre sitcom, you'd have two pounds – not much, but it's weird that it happened twice.

Of course, the story of Two and a Half Men's bizarre, ignoble ending is well known, but less understood is the fate that befell Lorre's later effort: Mom.

In the early 2010s, Anna Faris had long-departed the Scary Movie franchise, but her film career was running on a handful of forgettable comedies and reliable voice roles in Alvin & The Chipmunks and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

All that to say, Mom represented a notable uptick in her professional fortunes, earning strong reviews and major award nominations (albeit, mostly for Faris's co-star and eventual Oscar winner Allison Janney).

That's why it was so surprising when news broke, in September 2020, that Faris would not be returning as Christy for the show's final season, having been released from her season 8 contract (according to Deadline).

Why did Anna Faris leave Mom?

At the time, Faris released a statement declaring Mom to be among the "most fulfilling and rewarding" work of her career, but the early exit would allow her to "pursue new opportunities".

Of course, that's not exactly what happened.

Contrary to her original statement, Faris actually ended up taking a career break immediately after leaving Mom.

She was largely absent from our screens for about two years, telling People in January 2023 that she took her "foot off the gas" and "spent a lot of time" with her son.

Faris continued: "It felt really good. It wasn't conscious, but sort of a sabbatical, I guess."

This summer, while promoting the Scary Movie legacy sequel, Faris made comments on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that implied she might have been suffering from burnout.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

"I do think the intensity, towards the end, I think I started to lose my focus," she said, describing the production of 22-episode seasons as a "marathon".

"I never had a job, besides waitressing, for over three and a half months before," continued Faris, who concluded "it was a complicated time" and that even she hasn't entirely wrapped her head around it.

What happened next?

Faris is in the midst of another resurgence, reprising the role of Cindy Campbell in 2026's critically panned but commercially successful Scary Movie, with Robert Pattinson-led thriller Primetime coming up next.

For Mom, season 8 marked the end of the line, with critical darling Janney taking over as Christy's mother, Bonnie, became the lead protagonist. She earned one last Emmy nomination for her efforts.

Meanwhile, Faris's character was written out on a positive note, having swanned off to university to pursue her dream of a legal career.

Megan Dodds quit Not Going Out after season 1

Last month, Not Going Out celebrated 20 years on the air with a special one-off documentary and, quite fittingly, an episode based around a 20th birthday party.

With more than 100 episodes under its belt, it has gradually climbed the ranks to become the fifth-longest running series on UK television – but it hasn't been easy.

For instance, Not Going Out went through two major cast changes in its very first year.

In the pilot stage, Catherine Tate played the female lead in the series, who acts as a withering foil to slacker Lee (played by Lee Mack) and sometimes suffers the consequences of his behaviour.

However, Tate's career was on the up-and-up at the time, and she opted to focus on her own projects instead of what Mack himself described as a "sidekick" role.

Her replacement was American actor Megan Dodds, who played Lee's first landlady Kate; a potential love interest who vanishes between seasons 1 and 2 without warning.

Why did Megan Dodds leave Not Going Out?

In his 2012 autobiography Mack the Life, the Not Going Out creator gave some candid details on what exactly went wrong behind the scenes.

"Megan had decided she no longer wanted to be in the show as she wanted to concentrate on other things," wrote Mack, "which I think was telly talk for, 'If I have to spend another day with that ferret-faced Lancastrian, I'll strangle him'.

"Looking back, that was fair enough. I've mellowed a bit since... but at the time, every single line had to be said exactly like I wanted it said. It's quite a lot of pressure to put on anybody."

Elsewhere in his memoir, Mack had admitted he has experienced friction with Americans on more than one occasion, with the failed US adaptation of The Sketch Show being another key occurrence.

He attributed it to a difference in mindset between the people of LA and Lancashire, which stirred up a kind of "snobbery" from both sides.

Mack added: "In the 28 years of me doing comedy, there have only been three people who I would say I have not really got on with. They have all been Americans and they have all been actresses."

Although the comic did not name who he was referring to, it's certainly plausible that Dodds is one of those three individuals.

What happened next?

As detailed above, Not Going Out went from strength to strength in the years that followed, besides a brief period when the show was cancelled – to great backlash.

Sally Bretton replaced Dodds as the female lead, landing the role of Lee's second landlady and eventual wife Lucy after an exhaustive audition process involving five callbacks.

"She had to be able to tolerate me," joked Mack, of the assurances he required.

Hailing from California, Dodds had been working in the UK for a while prior to booking Not Going Out, including a recurring role in spy thriller Spooks.

She would stick around for a few more years, adding Hotel Babylon to her list of TV credits, along with feature films Born Equal and Chatroom, before moving back to the US.

Her most recent credits include Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things (with Kathryn Hahn), Apple TV's For All Mankind (with Joel Kinnaman) and romcom Juliet, Naked (with Chris O'Dowd).

Shelley Long quit Cheers in season 5

One of the most famous instances of an established sitcom star leaving the show that made them famous is Shelley Long's departure from Cheers.

Long had been part of the sleeper hit series from the beginning as waitress Diane Chambers, who had an on-again-off-again relationship with smooth-talking Sam Malone (Ted Danson).

But rather than find their happy ever after – as was the case with fellow sitcom lovebirds Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) in Friends – these two called it quits at the end of season 5.

The story sees Diane call off her engagement to Sam, after deciding to focus her time on achieving her career goal of becoming a writer.

Why did Shelley Long leave Cheers?

In reality, Long was also weighing up her professional aspirations.

Having already earned a Golden Globe nomination for her turn in Irreconcilable Differences, and with several other projects lined up, she eyed a jump to the big screen.

Her exit, she hoped, would also prevent the Sam and Diane romance from becoming "old and stale" (via Cracked), as storylines were repeated "over and over again".

Additionally, in her personal life, Long sought more time with her young daughter and husband, away from the breakneck pace of a network television schedule.

What happened next?

Long's exit from Cheers has been framed both positively and negatively.

On the one hand, many fans echo Long's feeling that the Sam and Diane romance had run its course and took too much time away from other elements of the show.

The introduction of Kirstie Alley's Rebecca Howe in season 6 gave Cheers a new lease of life, propelling it for an additional five years until its 1993 finale.

Long returned for the last ever episode, which definitively settled any lingering questions about Sam and Diane's relationship.

Despite the benefits that Long's exit had for Cheers itself, the actor's decision to leave has faced some derision from TV commentators.

Her film career largely fizzled out by the mid-'90s, but she continued taking regular TV roles in later decades, including a return as Diane for Cheers spin-off Frasier and grandmother DeDe Pritchett in Modern Family.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

Long herself has been unambiguous about the decision – and pushed back over the many, many times she's been asked about it.

"I've been annoyed by the comments and the constant questions of 'Do you regret it?' I don't regret it! I've said it over and over again," she explained in 1995 (via YouTube).

"I love [my family], and I like being with them," continued Long. "I sincerely wanted more time with them, which I got, and I'll forever treasure that.

"My daughter was just two when I left Cheers... and I've been around a little more than I would have been if I'd been doing Cheers."

Long added: "It was a great show, a great opportunity, I loved coming back and doing the last episode."

Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Add shows to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.