When Law & Order: SVU gets underway in the fall, it will be under new leadership.
Warren Leight confirmed Tuesday that he would be stepping away from the veteran NBC drama.
“The final day of shooting is always bittersweet,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Today was a little more than that. As some of you have already figured out, I am stepping down at the end of #SVU23.”
“The last two years of show running during a pandemic have been arduous, and I’ve decided to take a break.”
Leight initially worked as showrunner from seasons 13 to 17 and returned for Law & Order: SVU Season 21.
“At least once a week this year a brick came thru the window,” Leight added.
“This person quarantined, that location lost, another show fell behind and our guest star was no longer available.”
“Each time casting, camera, design, wardrobe, locations, h/mu, props, drivers came up with a save. And when they didn’t, our editing room, led by the indefatigable genius, Arthur Forney did.”
“Somehow the obstacles pulled us all closer together.”
“The episodes stayed on track and seemed to get stronger the longer the season went on.”
Law & Order: SVU Season 23 has already said goodbye to Jamie Gray Hyder’s Kat Tamin and Demore Barnes’ Deputy Chief Christian Garland.
The series landed a three-season renewal back in 2020, and the show is expected to be on the air for many years.
There were rumblings a few years back that the show was nearing the end of its run, but the franchise has staged a big comeback over the last few years.
NBC has set up an all-Law & Order night, consisting of SVU, Organized Crime, and the original series.
Mariska Hargitay stars as Captain Olivia Benson on the procedural drama.
The cast is rounded out by Kelli Giddish as Detective 2nd Grade Amanda Rollins, Ice-T as Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, Peter Scanavino as ADA Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr., and Octavio Pisano as Detective 3rd Grade Joe Velasco.
What are your thoughts on the big exit?
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.