THE RUMOURS HAVE been circulating for longer than most Walking Dead fans would have liked, but Andrew Lincoln finally put them out of their misery yesterday.
It’s official; the British actor is hanging up his Rick Grimes hat.
Andrew landed the news at the San Diego Comic Con yesterday, and the announcement was, unsurprisingly, met with groans of disappointment from the audience.
There seems to be an elephant in the room and I think many of you want to ask a question whether or not it is my last year. This will be my last season playing the part of Rick Grimes.
As Walking Dead fans attempted to imagine a post-apocalyptic world without Rick Grimes, Andrew stressed that since taking on the role in 2010, he has devoted much of his life to it.
It’s been so much a part of my life, I breathed it for 10 years.
After paying tribute to the people behind the show, the 44-year-old actor honoured the fans who have championed the programme since its inception almost a decade ago.
I love this show, it means everything to me. I love the people who make this show. I’m also particularly fond of the people who watch the show. It has been the most extraordinary, beautiful experience of my career, largely because of you guys.
Online consensus suggests that when Andrew steps away from the show, viewers may, in fact, do the same.
Without Andrew, there’s just no show, lads.
#RickGrimes I refused to believe it till Andrew spoke about it and he finally did and I am heartbroken.Rick was the heart of the show and it was his story from the very first second. It will needed be the same again.#TWDSeason9 #TWDSDCC #AndrewLincoln
— ashak1984 (@ashak1984_asha) July 21, 2018
heard about #AndrewLincoln :( as much as i LOVE #thewalkingdead they need to honor the show as a whole by finally making the 9th season their last one. i can't even imagine it without #rickgrimes <3
— F. Desai 🌿 (@fairy_des) July 21, 2018
My time watching #TheWalkingDead is finished when #AndrewLincoln finishes his role as #RickGrimes.
— FallenUnicorn (@FallenUnicorn90) July 21, 2018
9 seasons is great but without Andrew Lincoln the show must end. Thought it could have finished at 8. #TheWalkingDead #TWD #AndrewLincoln #Season9
— Daniel Morris (@DanielMorrisUK) July 21, 2018
Gutted that #AndrewLincoln is leaving #TheWalkingDead ☹️
— claire gilding (@clairegilding) July 21, 2018
You know what I take it back, #AndrewLincoln DON’T LEAVE !!!!! 😭😭😩😩
— G.O.M.D (@salevaojr_) July 21, 2018
So I woke up at 4am after having a really bad dream, only to find out they are rebooting #Buffy & that #AndrewLincoln has confirmed he IS leaving #TheWalkingDead 😩 I already don’t like today 😡 pic.twitter.com/q2bMBoLJ49
— Kirsty Hibbard ✌️ (@Nerdy__Goddess) July 21, 2018
