'What a great ride': Emily Wickersham confirms exit from 'NCIS' following season finale

Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY
·2 min read
1

"NCIS" star Emily Wickersham is officially "hangin this hat and jacket up."

Wickersham, who portrays Ellie Bishop on the procedural drama, confirmed she's departing CBS' long-running series on Instagram Wednesday after the 18th season finale on Tuesday left fans skeptical about her character's future.

During the season finale, Wickersham's Bishop confessed to leaking classified NSA documents (even though she didn't) and quit her job in the NCIS to go undercover as a disgraced agent. Bishop kissed Nicholas Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) goodbye and said she would be gone for a long time.

"Please tell me Emily Wickersham is NOT leaving!" user @sfortun04 tweeted. User @AlessiaSimi added, "We are not ready for Bishop… tell me she's in next season 19? I just don't accept it."

'NCIS' vet Pauley Perrette prefers CBS's 'Broke' sitcom to 'that military show about murder'

While pursuing a dangerous arms dealer, the team is shocked when NCIS Special Agent Ellie Bishop (played by Emily Wickersham) is implicated in an old NSA leak, on the 18th season finale of CBS's "NCIS" on May 25.
While pursuing a dangerous arms dealer, the team is shocked when NCIS Special Agent Ellie Bishop (played by Emily Wickersham) is implicated in an old NSA leak, on the 18th season finale of CBS's "NCIS" on May 25.

Wickersham confirmed Wednesday that this week's season finale was her last episode on "NCIS," where she's played Bishop since Season 11 in 2013.

"What a great ride it’s been," she captioned several black-and-white pictures of her character on set. "This cast, this crew, are top notch. I can’t say enough kind words about this group that I’ve had the pleasure of working with for close to 8 years now and 172 episodes later."

Despite calling show business "finicky and weird" and acknowledging that "consistency is a rarity," Wickersham said she's "been lucky enough to be a part of a show where I got to show up and act and laugh and learn with wonderful people."

She continued: " A moment in time I surely won’t forget. Thank you CBS and NCIS for including me in a part of television history. Time goes fast. Eat it up but chew slowly."

'NCIS': Cote de Pablo, producers address tense Ziva-Gibbs reunion in Season 17 premiere

Wickersham's co-stars and network bid her farewell.

"Thanks for making history with us," the official Instagram account for CBS TV commented. In another comment, the network added: "Our one and only Ellie Bishop."

Brian Dietzen, who plays medical examiner Dr. Jimmy Palmer, wrote: "So damn proud of you my friend. Also, I’m gonna miss the hell outta you on set. I can’t wait to see what you do next. Whatever it is, I’ll be there in the front row."

"Thank you for everything, friend," commented Diona Reasonover, who portrays "NCIS" forensics specialist Kasie Hines.

More: CBS adds new 'NCIS,' 'FBI' and 'CSI' series in fall programming crime wave

More: 'NCIS: New Orleans': How Scott Bakula's Pride responded to wedding crasher in series finale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'NCIS': Emily Wickersham confirms exit following season finale

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next