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Photos: James Gandolfini, 1961-2013 
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EXCLUSIVE: It looks like Dr. Addison Montgomery, who left Seattle Grace five years ago to move to Los Angeles, will be packing again. I’ve learned that Private Practice star Kate Walsh plans to leave the medical drama after 13 episodes of the upcoming sixth season.
There had been speculation that Walsh, who has played the character of Addison for 7 years, starting on Grey’s Anatomy before she segued to spinoff Private Practice, had been looking to move on. Her deal was up at the end of last season and, after intense negotiations, she agreed to return but committed to only 13 episodes. That paved the way to ABC’s sixth-season renewal of the series, which also was for 13 episodes. I hear that Walsh is now ready to move onto other things after she completes her contractual obligation.
It is unclear whether Private Practice, which was built around Walsh’s character, would continue without her. When ABC renewed Private Practice earlier this month, speculation was that the sixth season would be the show’s last, but ABC has stopped short of announcing an end date for the series.
Related: ABC Eyes 13-Episode Final Season Of ‘Private Practice’
However, with creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes busy with three series on the air — all created and run by her – in Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal, she may decide end Practice after Walsh leaves to focus on her other shows. There is a major cast departure already afoot on Private Practice. Tim Daly, originally tapped as the male lead opposite Walsh, unveiled earlier this week that he won’t be returning next season after his option was not picked up. On the feature side, Walsh will next be seen in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, which opens in September.
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You go, Kate. Get yourself a good comedy show.
Doesn’t matter what kind of show, everything is better than this horrible show! Kate deserves better, more than a huge unrealistic soap without decent storylines. I stopped watching a long time ago but would like to watch Kate on tv again, so I’m happy she’s leaving. I hope she’ll find a great show soon!
Agreed. I’ve seen Walsh in comedy before and she’s quite good. It’s been 7 years as Addison, so it wouldn’t a terrible idea to move on. Besides, the quality of Private Practice has really suffered in the last couple of years (Charlotte’s rape story being an exception — KaDee Strickland should have won awards for that).
Kadee Strickland and Paul Adelstein are the bomb and I hope Shonda puts them on Grey’s or something. They are awesome.
I only want Private Practice to continue because I LOVE Charlotte and Coop. They are my fave! Put them on a different show and I’m all for PP being done.
I love Private Practice. I have enjoyed the journey that Addison traveled to pick herself up and start over. To find happiness. Becoming a mother finally. And I was looking forward to watching her in a relationship possible marriage to Jake. I am a Kate Walsh fan. It has been great watching her in a center role. I would like to watch it play out.
I agree!! I would like to know why the show is ending!!
comedy show that will become real flop! that will be hilarious. unless she is supporting actress.
Ummm, how is that going to work? She’s the reason the show exists…
It’s time. I like her; but it’s time.
Shonda sure knows how to keep her stars happy.
The Addison Montgomery Show without Addison? Um, no thanks.
As a fan of Kate Walsh, I am beyond relieved to read this. My big fear is when Practice ends which I always thought would be this upcoming season, that she would go back to Grey’s, and I had so hoped she wouldn’t. Addison as a character is limited on Grey’s now, she would go from leading a show to again being a part of the ensemble as Ellen Pompeo is the title character/lead of that show, and when she had said she wanted to do comedies or a sitcom, I was really excited. She’s wonderful, so much more than this character and it’s time for her to show that now. It’s been more than a nice run on GA and her own show PPP, that I’m happy for Kate’s choice. I’m excited to finally see what she can do outside of the TV/medical world!
They might as well close the shop after Kate Walsh is gone. They wasted most of S3 on trying to make Amy Brenneman the star of the show and failed. Then they tried again in S4 with KaDee Stricland with even worse results, the biggest season to season loss in viewers registered for the show.
The only time Kate Walsh as been given the show’s major arc, rather than being used at bookends, and for sweeps, in S5, was the only time Private Pratice grew in viewers for a multi episode arc. During its duration it was the only ABC show with a growing trend, last fall.
The big question is are they going to give the show’s fans the season finale they will want to watch, or are they going for a last attempt to push one of the ratings losing cast members? Making sure that the show is really dead, and pissing off the remaining viewers in the process?
I don’t know if she’s going to have a career after PP.
She’ll have a career. Have you seen her do comedy? She has major chops. Go get yourself a half-hour Kate!
I saw her, and i don’t think she is funny. But for such a limited nation as us she might be funny, so who knows?
If Grey’s continues for two more seasons, and Private Practice ends after this upcoming one…would kind of create a perfect segue back onto her original show before both series come to a close.
@Jon, Grey’s is on for two more years but PP has just one season to go, and only 13 epi’s. So they don’t end at the same time. It would be fun though to see Addison return to Seattle for a year, but I doubt Kate will go for that.
Caro, Jon didn’t say that both shows were going to end at the same time. Don’t know where in the world you got that idea from. In fact, he basically said the exact opposite! He said that if PP ends after thirteen more episodes, Addison can go back to Grey’s (which is likely to continue for at least two more seasons).
I hope not. Kate would go back to co star status on Grey’s and she’s beyond that. Plus the rumor was GA lost both Chyler Leigh and Kim Raver over budget issues. That is also floating around about Tim Daly getting let go of PPP with only 13 eps left. Don’t want to see her again as a GA background player. I would be more than happy just to see Private Practice have a really great ending for us fans and then let Addison move on and Kate do something new. Like others have said on here, it’s time.
She’s not. Just a really lucky actress with limited looks and talent who believes her own applause. By no means qualified for feature films.Sad
Classic case of you can’t fire me, I quit.
How is this the case if her deal was up and they had lengthy negotiations to keep her on for a bit longer?
Shondas actors hate her, no show without Kate
Kate is definitely talented – great at comedy. She was great on Grey’s but this show, I’m sorry to say, was, is and always will be a drag, and it did her no favors.
Wrap it up at S6 Ep 13 and let her move on.
Shonda should end this show with Kate leaving. The supporting characters just aren’t strong to carry on without her. Shonda should end this one and put all of her focus on Greys/Scandal.
Kate Walsh on the other hand should get herself a comedy project for ABC! Now THAT would be INTERESTING!!!!
I would like to see the show continue. It was never all about Addison. This would open the door for them to hire someone new to step in and run the practice that could bring up the ratings. This has the potential to be a very good situation for PPP if they hire the right person to replace her. I don’t think it should be a baby doctor. They have ran out of pregnancy stories. This new doctor should come with a new specialty that will open the show up to new and different patient cases. PPP has become boring snd this may be exactly what it needs A major change.
Did you know that you just said that, after 5 seasons of being shoved down our throats, the rest of the cast still needs someone to carry them?
The show can definitely go on with out her. Addison hasnt been important in the show. Others have had the main plots such as violet with Lucas. Charloote and Cooper relationship. I never watched because of Walsh. Long live Private Practice!
If she leaves the show as expected, then ABC should be smart and make this the final season of the show with the short episode committment; otherwise, you have a potential “Jump the Shark” situation on their hands. Not a great actress in the least but she did help the show gain some traction after her brutal stint on that horrible Drew Carey Show.
Good luck for Kate!
This is not the end.
Shonda Rhimes will not quit because of Kate quits.
The show will go on with a new leader.
It is going to be better than ever.
Have faith is Shonda we wlll be happy.
I think she needs a new high-profile wedding.
Kate is sitcom bound.
I think that Kate is gifted, gorgeous, and a bonafide TV star who will be in demand. I also think that Shonda Rimes is as good as it gets in network scripted television. All things come to an end but I hope that they work together again.
ABC only renewed it for 13 episodes for now. The ratings are bad. 13 episodes will be it. I won’t watch without Kate Walsh. Tim Daly is also leaving. The show is dead.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Shonda made all these actors with her wonderful storylines and concepts. She’s had to make some hard creative decisions. Deal with it!
I have loved watching Addison for 7 years, but I think it is time to end the show. There is no way the show would survive without Kate Walsh. I certainly wouldn’t watch it.
It would be stupid to continue PP without Walsh.
Hy. Kate is gonna leave the practice, this is sad but the show needs to continue.Why are you people saying that PP is horrible, it’s the greatest show on Tv, I LOVE IT! Charlotte and Cooper are my favourites, they are so perfect for each other and I don’t wanna that season 6 be the finale cause I need to se my favourite couple, pleaseeee Shonda, don’t give up on PP ! And KaDee Strickland is a great actress, she deserves a award, she really does, she’s an amazing woman. Congratulations big woman, I love you ! )