Friday, 23 October 2009

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Ashlee Simpson to leave Melrose Place

Co-star Colin Egglesfield is also moving on

Ashlee Simpson's final scenes will air in the States in January

Ashlee Simpson is being written out of Melrose Place.

The actress will leave along with her co-star Colin Egglesfield, 36.

‘Having the chance to play Violet on Melrose Place has been a thrill,' Ashlee says in a statement.

‘Although I always knew her story would come to a final, insanely unpredictable end, playing a creepy, unstable character was something I always wanted to do, so I jumped at the chance.

'Thanks to the CW and the entire cast and crew of Melrose Place for allowing me this opportunity.'

Ashlee and Colin weren't shocked to be told their characters were exiting the series.

‘[It was] the original plan going into the development of the show,' executive producer Todd Slavkin tells Entertainment Weekly.

‘We felt that once the murder mystery was resolved, the tone of the show was going to shift ... and [Simpson's] character would move on.

‘They knew ahead of time [that leaving was a possibility], it wasn't a complete shock.'

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