Steve Carell leaving The Office

Unless the producers pull a Darrin Stephens, Michael Scott will no longer appear on The Office following the next season.

“I just think it’s time,” Steve told our Kristina Guerrero. “I want to fulfill my contract. When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go.”

But according to Steve, The Office could go on without him. “It doesn’t certainly mean the end of the show. I think it’s just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually. Add some new life and some new energy…I see it as a positive in general for the show.”

Carell added:

I didn’t see it as a huge thing and I certainly didn’t anticipate any sort of hubbub over it.

All together now: that’s what she said.

P.S. Tad Friend has a profile of Carell in the New Yorker this week…sadly offline without a subscription.

• Steve Carell
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