Two major Riverdale actors leaving the show

In a shocking development, two huge regulars will be leaving Riverdale at the end of its fourth season.

Say it ain’t so, Riverdale fans! Two staples of the show are leaving the hit CW series.

That’s right, veterans Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols will both be departing at the conclusion of the current season. The former, who portrays the town’s current sheriff FP Jones, revealed to TVLine in a statement:

"“I’m incredibly grateful for the friendships I’ve made on Riverdale, and I will miss seeing everyone on a daily basis… I’m proud to have been part of such a talented group of people, in front of the camera and behind. But I’ve decided that it’s time for me to move on to explore other creative opportunities.”"

While Ulrich does have some upcoming opportunities in the pipeline, some fans have been theorizing that his departure could have to do with how little material his character has been given as of late.

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FP, the father of Jughead, had an incredibly compelling arc over the course of his run on the show, developing from Southside Serpent to sheriff of Riverdale, while slowly falling back in love with high school sweetheart Alice Cooper. But as of late, he hasn’t had all that much to do – something that is likely the result of the show’s new split narrative format.

This especially applies to Nichols who, despite being a series regular, has had a noticeably reduced role this season as her character, Hermione Lodge (the mother of Veronica, wife of Hiram and former mayor of Riverdale), has been off-screen for episodes at a time before only appearing for a scene or two when she returns.

She also revealed in a statement to TVLine:

"“I had an incredible time bringing Hermione Lodge to life and working with my amazing cast, who became family. We had so many wonderful times together during the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We really do have the best fans ever. I am looking forward to the next chapter and am excited about the future”"

It’s hard to imagine what Riverdale will look like without these stalwarts but the show, which has already been renewed for a fifth season, will be letting us see what that future looks like in a matter of months.

Riverdale is currently in the midst of its fourth season and will return to The CW on Wednesday night, Feb. 26, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Are you going to miss Skeet and Marisol? Let us know in the comments below!