10 Actors Who Regretted Leaving Hit TV Shows
Matt Smith - Doctor Who
Matt Smith’s energetic yet wise portrayal of the Doctor made him a fan favorite, but the intense 9–10 month filming schedule eventually wore him down. He exited before reaching 50 episodes, moving quickly into major roles in The Crown and House of the Dragon. Smith later expressed regret that he didn’t get a longer stretch with co-star Jenna Coleman, sharing only 12 episodes together.
Wil Wheaton - Star Trek: The Next Generation
Wil Wheaton hoped to expand his career when he pursued a role in Miloš Forman’s Valmont, but an unnamed producer told him Star Trek urgently needed him back. Turning down the film, Wheaton returned to set only to discover his character wasn’t needed after all and had been cut from the episode. Feeling misled, he chose to leave the show entirely.
McLean Stevenson - M*A*S*H
McLean Stevenson charmed audiences as Col. Henry Blake on M*A*S*H, earning a Golden Globe nomination and becoming a core part of the show’s success. Hoping to use his rising fame to secure leading roles, he exited after Season 3, only for his character to be famously and shockingly killed off. Stevenson went on to headline a string of short-lived shows but never found the same career momentum.
Andrew Lincoln - The Walking Dead
Andrew Lincoln shocked fans when Rick Grimes was whisked off the screen in Season 9, leaving The Walking Dead with the promise of movies and spin-offs focused on Rick’s story. For years, those projects stalled while other franchise spin-offs thrived, leading Lincoln to admit he may have left at the wrong moment. Norman Reedus later revealed Lincoln told him he regretted the timing, saying the show was “so f-ing good right now.”
Michael Learned - The Waltons
Michael Learned became a beloved TV figure as Olivia Walton on The Waltons, earning major awards for her work. But after seven seasons, she felt creatively stuck and believed she had enough financial security to take risks, something she later realized wasn’t entirely true. Learned admitted in a 2017 interview that she sometimes regretted leaving early and felt the show would have been more complete had she stayed through the entire run.
Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men
Charlie Sheen’s turbulent personal struggles ultimately pushed producers to remove him from Two and a Half Men, despite the sitcom still dominating ratings. After getting sober, Sheen reflected openly on the self-destructive behavior that cost him his role, saying he deeply regretted losing a show that provided stability and enormous success. He admitted to People that his life could have been dramatically different had he not sabotaged the opportunity.
Christopher Eccleston - Doctor Who
Christopher Eccleston revived the iconic Time Lord when Doctor Who returned in 2005, but his run lasted only 13 episodes. Behind-the-scenes conflicts with producers and creative differences left him feeling he couldn’t continue under the existing conditions. Eccleston later shared that he chose to play the Doctor his way, but the politics made it impossible, leading to his abrupt departure. In a later interview, he admitted he wished he’d done a second season.
Suzanne Somers - Three’s Company
Suzanne Somers achieved massive popularity as Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company, but a pay dispute ultimately led to her exit. Earning far less than co-star John Ritter, Somers asked for a raise, which the network rejected, resulting in her character being pushed out after Season 5. While the situation wasn’t entirely her doing, Somers later admitted she regretted how ugly the fallout became.
Chevy Chase - Saturday Night Live
Chevy Chase became an overnight sensation during his single full season on Saturday Night Live, earning fame with his Weekend Update segments and iconic slapstick humor. Despite the show’s success, Chase left early to pursue films, landing classics like Fletch and the Vacation series. Still, he later admitted he regretted exiting so quickly, especially because he missed the camaraderie of the cast.
Brian Dunkleman – American Idol
Brian Dunkleman landed the kind of job most performers only dream about when he became the co-host of American Idol’s first season alongside Ryan Seacrest. Earning $17,000 a week, he walked away after Season 1 to focus on acting, completely unaware that the show was about to explode into a worldwide TV powerhouse. Dunkleman later appeared in Las Vegas, How I Met Your Father, and Delco: The Movie, but the scale of Idol was never matched.
