The real reason Freema Agyeman is not returning for final season of New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam is set to return to screens in September with even more medical marvels from the likes of Dr Max Goodwin and his team of tireless doctors who dedicate their lives to serving one of the most understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospitals in the world of TV.
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However, the show is set to lose one of its main stars as it has been confirmed that Freema Agyeman will not be reprising her as Dr Helen Sharp in the medical drama's fifth and final season.
WATCH: Are you a fan of New Amsterdam?
In a statement, the former Doctor Who star revealed that "the time has come for me to hang up [Helen's] white coat" after four years on the NBC show. "I feel very fortunate to have connected with so many of you over these past few years, while rolling around in the skin of Ms Helen Sharpe, and witness every ebb and flow of your emotional investment. What a ride!"
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"Thank you for being on it with me. She has meant so much to me, but the time has come for me to hang up her white coat, as I officially share the news that I will not be returning for the final season of New Amsterdam," it continued. "While I am saddened, I am also incredibly excited to see how the story concludes as a fan of the series."
Freema will not be returning for the show's fifth and final season
While the 43-year-old actress didn't give a reason as to why she has decided to leave the show, it was recently announced that she will star in a brand new British series alongside pop star Lily Allen. Titled Dreamland, the Sky Original Comedy began shooting on location in Margate in the UK earlier this month.
She has been cast on a new British series alongisde Lily Allen
Meanwhile, creator/showrunner David Schulner and executive producer Peter Horton have said "the doors of New Amsterdam will always be open if she wishes to return," suggesting that Freema could drop by for a brief cameo in the show's final outing after all.
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"We are extremely proud of the impact Freema and Dr. Helen Sharpe have made over these past four seasons and are so grateful to have been a part of that story. As we head into the fifth and final season, we want our #Sharpwin fans to know we still have a few surprises in store for them," they added.
As fans will know, after several seasons of will-they-won't-they, Helen and Max finally got together in the show's fourth season and even became engaged. They were supposed to get married in the season four finale before an unexpected hurricane hit the city and put paid to their plans. Helen was left stranded in London and then seemingly got cold feet, telling Max on the phone after everything had cleared up that she couldn't go through with the wedding.
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