Big news for Castle viewers: The ninth and final season of the series will be without its lead star Stana Katic.

Update (April 19): Nathan Fillion has spoken out about Katic’s departure. “Castle has been one of the great joys of my creative life, and I hope the show continues on for years to come. Stana has been my partner all this time, and I thank her for creating the character of Beckett who will live on for all of us as one of the greatest police officers on television. I wish her well, and have no doubt she will succeed in everything she pursues. She will be missed.”

Original story (April 18): Deadline reports that Stana Katic (who plays Detective Kate Beckett) and Tamala Jones (Lanie Parish) will not be returning for Castle season 9. This is major news, considering Kate Beckett co-leads the series with Nathan Fillion’s character Rick Castle.

“I hear the decision for Katic not to return was made by ABC and ABC Studios,” says the report. “Both Fillion and Katic last spring inked one-year contracts, which are up at the end of the current eighth season. While the studio started making overtures to Fillion for a new deal months ago and has been in on- and off- talks with him since the beginning of the year, I hear Katic was never approached to re-up her contract and was not offered an opportunity to continue on the show. ”

Deadline adds that Katic was told she was not invited back to Castle season 9 for “budgetary reasons.”

Said the actress in a statement, “Rather then distract from what was an amazing experience, I would just like to say that I’m very grateful to ABC for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a much beloved show. Thank you to the fans.”

Added ABC, “Kate Beckett has been a beloved character on our hit series Castle for the past 8 years. We are grateful for Stana Katic’s talent and dedication to the series and we hope to continue our relationship. Tamala Jones has also been an integral part of the series and we are grateful she was a part of Castle.”

Potential spoiler warning for what happens at the end of the season.

Deadline adds that Castle’s season 8 finale shot two different endings, one of which is a cliffhanger where “both Castle and Beckett’s lives are left hanging in the balance.” Should the show get its renewal from ABC, this may be how the show plans to write out Katic.