Iconic 'Simpsons' Voice Actor Leaves Show After 26 Seasons

This is definitely not "excellent" news for "Simpsons" fans.

Harry Shearer, the comic and actor who provides the voices for numerous iconic characters, including Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders, is leaving the show. Shearer tweeted a message late Wednesday that he said came from an attorney for James L. Brooks, one of the show's executive producers:

Brooks, who is also active on Twitter, has not yet responded.

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"The Simpsons" was recently renewed for two more seasons. However, over the weekend, TMZ reported that Shearer had not yet signed a new contract and was negotiating over back-end and merchandising.

On Twitter, Shearer indicated that the reason for the apparent impasse was something else entirely:

Along with the characters of Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders, Shearer provided the voices of Principal Seymour Skinner, Smithers, news anchor Kent Brockman, the Schwarzenegger-esque action hero Rainier Wolfcastle and more. His role in 2013's "Four Regrettings and a Funeral" episode even won him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voiceover Performance.

Shearer has had a prolific career beyond his work on "The Simpsons." He was a cast member twice on "Saturday Night Live," and portrayed Derek Smalls in "This Is Spinal Tap" and other "Spinal Tap" projects. He also frequently collaborates with fellow "Spinal Tap" bandmate Christopher Guest, appearing in the films "For Your Consideration" and "A Mighty Wind."

Shearer, who blogs for The Huffington Post, recently portrayed President Richard M. Nixon in the "Nixon's the One" series.

The Simpsons Season 24

In the 23rd annual "Treehouse of Horror," we go back to ancient times when a Mayan Homer and Marge are witness to the prediction that 2012 will be the end of the world, the Springfield Subatomic Supercollider creates a black hole that terrorizes the city, a little unholy pact Marge when she was younger makes things go bump in the night and Bart travels to 1974 to buy a comic book at cover price but inadvertently disrupts Homer and Marge's courtship in the all-new "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."

The Simpsons Season 24

In the 23rd annual "Treehouse of Horror," we go back to ancient times when a Mayan Homer and Marge are witness to the prediction that 2012 will be the end of the world, the Springfield Subatomic Supercollider creates a black hole that terrorizes the city, a little unholy pact Marge when she was younger makes things go bump in the night and Bart travels to 1974 to buy a comic book at cover price but inadvertently disrupts Homer and Marge's courtship in the all-new "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."

The Simpsons Season 24

In the 23rd annual "Treehouse of Horror," we go back to ancient times when a Mayan Homer and Marge are witness to the prediction that 2012 will be the end of the world, the Springfield Subatomic Supercollider creates a black hole that terrorizes the city, a little unholy pact Marge when she was younger makes things go bump in the night and Bart travels to 1974 to buy a comic book at cover price but inadvertently disrupts Homer and Marge's courtship in the all-new "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."

The Simpsons Season 24

The Simpsons Season 24

In the 23rd annual "Treehouse of Horror," we go back to ancient times when a Mayan Homer and Marge are witness to the prediction that 2012 will be the end of the world, the Springfield Subatomic Supercollider creates a black hole that terrorizes the city, a little unholy pact Marge when she was younger makes things go bump in the night and Bart travels to 1974 to buy a comic book at cover price but inadvertently disrupts Homer and Marge's courtship in the all-new "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."

The Simpsons Season 24

In the 23rd annual "Treehouse of Horror," we go back to ancient times when a Mayan Homer and Marge are witness to the prediction that 2012 will be the end of the world, the Springfield Subatomic Supercollider creates a black hole that terrorizes the city, a little unholy pact Marge when she was younger makes things go bump in the night and Bart travels to 1974 to buy a comic book at cover price but inadvertently disrupts Homer and Marge's courtship in the all-new "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."

The Simpsons Season 24

The Simpsons Season 24

In the 23rd annual "Treehouse of Horror," we go back to ancient times when a Mayan Homer and Marge are witness to the prediction that 2012 will be the end of the world, the Springfield Subatomic Supercollider creates a black hole that terrorizes the city, a little unholy pact Marge when she was younger makes things go bump in the night and Bart travels to 1974 to buy a comic book at cover price but inadvertently disrupts Homer and Marge's courtship in the all-new "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."

The Simpsons Season 24

Marge Simpson.
Marge Simpson.

The Simpsons Season 24

Maggie, Lisa and Bart Simpson.
Maggie, Lisa and Bart Simpson.

The Simpsons Season 24

Home Simpson.
Home Simpson.

The Simpsons Season 24

The Simpsons.
The Simpsons.

The Simpsons Season 24

Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.
Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.

The Simpsons Season 24

Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.
Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.

The Simpsons Season 24

Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.
Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.

The Simpsons Season 24

Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.
Bart travels to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost love, Mary Spuckler (guest voice Zooey Deschanel), who left Springfield and her back woods family to reinvent herself in the Big Apple in the "Moonshine River" season premiere.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.