Andrew Lincoln Leaving The Walking Dead

Andrew Lincoln AKA Rick Grimes Leaving The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead has been one of my all time favourite franchises ever to grace our television screens, and in print form with the hugely successful The Walking Dead comics, which have been in print since 2010!

Although we still have until October before season 9 starts, fans are already dreading the upcoming season after suffering several hard-hitting blows in the media!
Fan favourite Rick Grimes, played expertly by Andrew Lincoln is set to leave the show THIS SEASON, and is only set to appear in 6 episodes out of the usual season length of 16. There’s no confirmation of how these six episodes will be structured this upcoming season, whether it is the first 6 or 6 throughout the season, we will have to wait and see!
Andrew Lincoln’s departure has come as a major shock to most fans but others seem to have been expecting it.

Andy is a family man and has been locked into the role of Rick Grimes for the past 8 years. And although it’s the role of a lifetime for any actor, most people understand what a commitment and strain it must be coming and going and moving all the time, not to mention the time he’s missing with his wife and kids. And lets face it, after 8 years as Ricky-Dicky-Grimes on the hit show, he can more than comfortably retire if he felt like it!

Other reasons for leaving have included the way his former co-star Chandler Riggs was treated during season 8 filming. If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you know Riggs played Carl Grimes since episode 2 of the very first season when he was just a little kid whose character did get peoples’ nerves up. Let’s face it, Dale’s dead…just saying, Chandler! But Carl has more than made up for that as he grew and developed into a fairly awesome human-being over the course of several seasons.

During filming of season 8, Chandler was given just a few episodes notice before his character was killed off. Prior to this, Chandler had been told his character would be around for at least 3 more years, and given his long and expected stay in the area, Chandler had just bought a house in Senoia, Georgia where the series is filmed. Not only that, but it was the week of his 18th birthday…happy birthday, buddy!
It’s important to mention the decision for Carl’s death was masterminded by Scott Gimple, the then series showrunner. In the episode of Talking Dead after it was revealed Carl had been bitten in the mid-season finale, Gimple said that Carl’s death was “very important” to the entire story. Gimple’s reasoning was Carl needed to die to soften Rick towards Negan, so that Rick would let him live.
Now, fans of the comics instantly pointed out that Rick doesn’t kill Negan in the comics, and it didn’t take killing off Carl to achieve this. This left many puzzled and angry and it does seem 100% pointless.

Below is a very critical, and since deleted post on Facebook posted by Rigg’s father, William after the mid-season finale aired.

Chandler himself opened up about his exit with The Hollywood Reporter, where he revealed it wasn't his decision to leave the show.
"Leaving Walking Dead wasn't my decision," Riggs said. "It was all story related. It made sense story-wise for it to happen for Rick and Michonne and all the other characters."

"It was devastating for me and my family because the show has been such a huge part of my life for so long," Riggs said. "For a few days, we didn't know what to do; I just bought a house in Senoia. That was a big deal that I wouldn't be on anymore."

It was a big deal to all of us! So big in fact that Gimple himself called Chandler’s onscreen Father, Andrew Lincoln to deliver the news. In an interview, Andrew Lincoln relayed to us how the conversation between him and Gimple went. Gimple had called and said to Andy it was a big one, and Andy kept saying names like Michonne, Daryl, Carol, all the characters considered to be “big”, and Andy spoke of how he didn’t expect for one second that it would be Carl.

The news of Lincoln’s departure was today confirmed by Mike E Satrazemis, who has directed 13 episodes of the show since 2014.
In a since deleted Instagram post, assuming he realised it confirmed the news fans have feared before AMC bosses did, Mike has this to say:

“Many of us have spent the last 8 yrs of our lives living, working, creating, high fiving, hugging and sometimes even bleeding real blood with Andy. All to make something special. He is one of the greatest men I’ve ever met. And a friend.
The show will miss him as much as you,” he continued in reference to life on The Walking Dead following Rick’s departure. “It will be different but it will still be great. All of us who love making The Walking Dead keep creating our asses off and sometimes even bleed for you.”

For everyone wondering what happens to the show without Rick Grimes, it has been made public that Norman Reedus, Rick’s brother in crossbow wielding arms Daryl Dixon has been offered a whopping $20million to take the lead role in the show. It has yet to be confirmed if Reedus has accepted the offer.

And as if our grief weren’t bad enough already, Normas Reedus posted this very touching image of him and Andy Lincoln hugging from a previous episode on his Instagram page.

(Source @bigbaldhead Instagram)

The one good thing about Andy’s departure from the show is he isn’t being killed off! Rick Grimes is walking away. One would speculate it’s so the show always has the option of Rick coming back for a future episode or two, maybe just as a cameo, maybe a full length one. We can only hope!

What do you think the future of the show will be like without Rick Grimes? Will you continue watching? Always happy to hear from other fans!