Fox's quirky comedy series, New Girl, will be facing its impending fifth season without the eccentric and energetic Coach, played by Damon Wayans Jr., according to a report from TV Line.
However, this will not be the first time for Wayans to leave the show. In 2011, the highly sought after comedian was already part of the pilot episode of New Girl. Hence, he needed to leave the series due to a prior commitment in an ABC sitcom called "Happy Endings."
When the said show was eventually cancelled by the network, Wayans returned to New Girl as a guest star with a four-episode appearance throughout the third season. His participation in the series later on transitioned into becoming a regular on the show. This change was marked by a contract that signed him into the show for an entire year or the entire fourth season.
Fans of Coach need not worry that his exit might become abrupt. Wayans will still be taking part in all the episodes leading up to the finale of the current season. Meanwhile, the show's superiors appear to be hesitant to completely cut all ties with the talented actor.
Liz Meriwether, the executive producer and creator of the show, said that they are currently "working on crafting an exit" for the Coach that will "leave the door open for many more returns."
For his part, Wayans shared his appreciation for the warm welcome the show's cast, crew, and executives extended to him.
"I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to come back to New Girl in season three to reprise the role of 'Coach,'" he remarked. "Working with this incredibly talented and funny cast and crew has been one of the best experiences of my career."
One of the main reasons for the actor's decision to leave New Girl is the numerous offers for him to star in pilot episodes of upcoming shows. To date, Wayans has not released an official announcement regarding his next projects.
