America Ferrera leaving ‘Superstore’ in surprise move
“Superstore” will have to continue without its super star America Ferrera.
The actress, who is the show’s lead and an executive producer, will be leaving the comedy at the end of the current season, NBC announced on Friday.
“The last five years on ‘Superstore’ have been some of the most rewarding, enriching and enjoyable years of my career,” Ferrera said in a statement obtained by CNN. “Producing, directing and acting with this wonderful cast and crew has given me opportunities to grow as a person and storyteller. I’m so grateful to my partners at NBC and Universal Television for the support and belief they have always placed in the show, and I’m most thankful to the brilliant Justin Spitzer for creating the funny, smart and relevant world of ‘Superstore’ and inviting me to be a part of it.”
“Superstore” is currently in its fifth season, which concludes April 16.
It was picked up for a sixth season earlier this month.
The series, which stars Ferrera as Amy, an employee of a fictional box store named Cloud 9, began in 2015.
In its current season the show averages 3.8 million viewers per week, a number that accounts for seven days of delayed viewing, according to Nielsen numbers via NBC.
It is among one of the network’s “strongest digital performers,” NBC added.
In her statement, Ferrera added: “As I start the next chapter for my family and career, I wish only the best, and much continued success, to my beloved ‘Superstore’ family.”
The next chapter for “Superstore,” however, is unclear.
NBC did not speak to how Ferrera’s exit would be addressed on screen.
In a statement, Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, co-presidents of scripted programming at NBC Entertainment, thanked Ferrera for her “immeasurable contributions” to the series, “both in front of and behind the camera as well as an ambassador for the show.”
