Making the sudden and surprising announcement that his longtime "Law & Order: SVU" tenure is coming to an end, Christopher Meloni will certainly be missed by his co-star partner Mariska Hargitay.
The Detective Olivia Benson actress spoke about her beloved castmate's departure for the first time, releasing a statement reading: "For the past 12 years Chris Meloni has been my partner and friend, both on screen and off. He inspired me every day with his integrity, his extraordinary talent and his commitment to the truth."
Expressing her sorrow over the news, Miss Hargitay added, "I love him deeply and will miss him terribly – I'm so excited to see what he'll do next."
The report of Meloni's SVU exit was made earlier in the week - with NBC confirming the news that Detective Stabler will not be back for what would have been his 13th season this fall.
According to insiders, Christopher is leaving the long-running program after his contract negotiations with the network couldn't come to agreeable terms.
The report of Meloni's SVU exit was made earlier in the week - with NBC confirming the news that Detective Stabler will not be back for what would have been his 13th season this fall.
According to insiders, Christopher is leaving the long-running program after his contract negotiations with the network couldn't come to agreeable terms.
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