Marg Helgenberger to leave "CSI" at season's end

Actress Marg Helgenberger speaks during the CBS portion of the 2011 Summer TCA Tour held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Aug. 3, 2011.

/ Getty Images

(CBS) Actress Marg Helgenberger, who has been with "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" since it began 11 years ago, is quitting at the end of this season.

Pictures: Marg on "CSI"
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The 56-year-old Helgenberger, who plays investigator Catherine Willows on the show, told reporters gathered in California for the annual fall TV previews she plans to leave at the end of the upcoming 12th season of what CBS is calling the most watched TV series in the world.

"I was planning on leaving after last season," Helgenberger said, adding that producers talked her into staying for another season so they could better script her exit.

Her planned exit comes just as former "Cheers" actor and co-star of HBO's "Bored to Death" Ted Danson joins the cast. Danson, who replaces Laurence Fisburne, will play CSI supervisor DB Russell. Executive producer Don McGill says Russell is a family man who grew up in a commune with folk-singing parents.

Danson, 63, said he enjoys working on a crime drama, but joked "they still won't give me a gun."

[Ericwvb]

Isn't it interesting that 50% of the comments here about her are about her age and looks. When Bill Peterson quit CSI I don't remember anyone talking about his age or looks. Why do you suppose that is?

[erasmus111]

I don't know, but let's discuss her lips. Has she had them pumped up, do you think? I can't remember what they originally looked like, but her top lip looks funny. It's not overly big now, so if she did, she mustn't have had much of a top lip to begin with.

I can't understand why women feel the need to get there lips pumped up. They look gross. You can always tell when it has been done. She's the first person that I question whether it has been done or not, but that is only because they aren't huge and totally hideous. In the picture you can see that there's a little bit of her top lip drooping down. Spoils her looks.

Now look a Cher and Priscilla Presley. GROSS. They had perfectly fine lips and had to go and make themselves look hideous. I would rather have no lips than look like that.

: )

[LilyStarbuck]

I'll be happy to see her move on to other things, even though I'll seriously miss the character.
One other thing, she's only 52 not 56 like the article says

[Harden_Tar]

11 years is a nice long run. Good luck.

[PeteTheDragon]

This show has lived 5 to 6 years beyond its life.

[KayleeRaeReed]

I love CSI, and I mean the original CSI. Catherine has always been my favorite character and without her the show will soon end. After William Petersen left the rest of the cast held strong and the show felt the same but there will only be two original cast members left after Ms. Helgenberger leaves the show (In case you did not know that would be George Eads(Nick) and Paul Guilfoyle(Brass)). About this new guy they are bringing in I have never heard of him, and you can't place a new star into a show that has had so much success over the past eleven years. Ms. Helgenberger has been on CSI for so long that it is what she is known for. Leaving the show, in my opinion, is not a smart career move on her part. Whatever happens I only hope it turns out right for the show, its cast, and Ms. Helgenberger.

[MegaProcrastination]

I'm about the same age and I can just WISH I looked that good!

I'd imagine all of you saying she's too old are too young to appreciate maturity. Hotness is in the eye of the beholder, and there are many who think she's totally hot.

Having said that, I've never liked her character. I miss Grissom terribly, and adore Greg and Nick, but I've never found a woman cast on CSI that I really enjoyed. Sela Ward in CSI:NY, on the other hand, I do like.

I've seen plenty of predictions of failure for Ted Danson but I think it will be interesting to see what he can do in his new role and I hope he's enjoyable (Fishburne's character kind of grated my nerves). I do hope that CSI isn't on its way out (although it's been on for so many years now it wouldn't surprise me) because it IS my favorite of the three series.

[erasmus111]

I quit watching CSI a few years ago when that Peterson guy left. Not that I really liked him.

I now watch CSI Miami. Of course David Caruso irritates me, but I mostly watch it for the scenery, anyways. The colors and scenery are spectacular in HD.

[darkknight_55]

Good God, you stopped watching the original but watch that bad knockoff with Caruso? I'm sorry, but the original CSI is still good even with Dourdan and Peterson gone and even at its worse it is better than Miami and that egomaniac Caruso with his cliches and bad acting. I'll miss Helgenberger though. I guess it's time to end the show with her because it's had a good run so stop while they are still good.

[erasmus111]

I really liked Dourdan. Too bad he can't get his life together.

[RealiteBites]

I always preferred CSI:NY to CSI. But I can't imagine CSI without her - wow.

She'd be fun to watch on Desperate Housewives - Dana Delaney was on that.

Hope to see her on tv again sometime in the future. 52 or 56 ... however old she is, wow, she looks FANTASTIC for her age!

[NotPartyControlled]

Now this is really bad news. She is great on the show. She is hot for her age. Nothing wrong with that. Why aren't there posts to blame this on political parties.

[wljm52]

Helgenberger has carried the show (w/Grisham) for years. Then with Fishburne who helped a little. Danson? At all? Really? Danson without Haelgenberger? Are you kidding me? It's over.