UPDATED Glee Exclusive: 4 Original Cast Members Not Returning as Series Regulars for Season 5; Plus — Who's Getting Promoted?
Glee is thinning its ranks as it heads into Season 5.
Original castmembers Heather Morris (who plays Brittany), Mark Salling (Puck), Amber Riley (Mercedes) and Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike) will not be returning to the Fox musical dramedy as series regulars, TVLine has learned exclusively.
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Additionally, Dianna Agron (Quinn) — who was only seen in a handful of episodes last season — is not slated to be back, save for a possible guest appearance here and there.
Morris, Salling, Riley and Shum may also return as occasional guest stars.
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The casting moves hardly come as a surprise, considering four of the five characters graduated McKinley at the end of Season 3, and a fifth — Morris’ Brittany — got accepted to MIT in last month’s Season 4 finale.
Meanwhile, TVLine has confirmed a Hollywood Reporter story that Glee‘s new class — Melissa Benoist (Marley), Jacob Artist (Jake), Becca Tobin (Kitty), Blake Jenner (Ryder) and Alex Newell (Unique) — have been promoted to series regulars.
Glee returns with Season 5 on Thursday, Sept. 19.
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