News has now emerged that Steve Carell will not be leaving the show at the end of this season, but that he’ll be leaving before the season is even finished. Executive producer Greg Daniels said in an interview:
The big scoop tonight, he’s not leaving at the end of the season, he’s leaving before sweeps. And we’re going to sort of play out the jockeying of everyone there for his job and outside interviews and the struggle to find a replacement – that’s going to be the end of the season.
When asked if Steve would return in the last episode of the season he merely said, “No.”
Daniels also commented on how they plan to handle Michael Scott’s departure which is how anyone deals with any co-worker leaving their job, they get back to work.
It’s a bit of an unusual situation to have a lead leave a show, but we felt like the story is not ending with his leaving Dunder Mifflin. If you look at what the big event is in their lives, it’s ‘Oh my god, who is going to run the office?’ ‘Is it going to be me? Do I have a shot at it?’ ‘Who is that person they’re meeting with?’ We’re going to take advantage of the natural curiosity people have [when it comes to replacing somebody] and incorporate it into the storyline.
Although replacements haven’t been announced, which I think is a good idea, the producers plan to hold interviews with various people all fighting for Michael’s job, in the ‘Office’ way. I really hope they can keep this show going as they have without Steve, to me it’s only gotten better as the years went on.
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