Aug. 31 (UPI) — Emmy Rossum announced in a message posted online that she is leaving Shameless after nine seasons of starring in the Showtime series.
Rossum posted an open letter to fans of the series Thursday on Facebook saying she was leaving the series and expected the show to continue without her character, Fiona.
The 31-year-old actress wrote she had become close with her castmates and crew members during their years working together on the show.
“We’ve watched the kids grow up into the strong, talented, independent human beings that they are,” she wrote.
“This kind of stability, this family, has nurtured me and made feel safe enough to stretch and grow creatively. The way [show-runner] John Wells has shepherded me as an actress, and more recently how he’s encouraged me wholeheartedly as a director and a writer, has been an honor and a privilege,” she wrote.
The post did not specify why Rossum is leaving the series, which premieres its ninth season Sept. 9, but she wrote that she expects it to continue without her.
“There is much more Gallagher story to be told. I will always be rooting for my family. Try not to think of me as gone, just think of me as moving down the block,” Rossum wrote.
The show’s season eight renewal had previously been held up in 2016 when salary negotiations between Rossum and Warner Bros. Television stalled. The two sides eventually came to an agreement and production began.
