Scandal’s season 3 finale left gladiators wondering, “What happened to Harrison?” as he was held at gunpoint by Papa Pope’s henchmen. Did he get shot? Did he escape? Will the show end up not having a fine black man as part of the cast?
Well, unfortunately, the answer to that last question is “yes.” Columbus Short will not be returning to the show he’s been on since the first season.
Short released this statement via a publicist:
At this time I must confirm my exit from a show I’ve called home for 3 years, with what is the most talented ensemble on television today. I would like to first thank [creator] Shonda Rhimes for the opportunity to work with such an amazing cast. Thank you GLADIATORS, who have supported me throughout my entire career and of course to ABC and Shondaland for allowing me to play such a pivotal role in the Scandal series. I have enjoyed every single minute of it. Everything must come to an end and unfortunately the time has come for Harrison Wright to exit the canvas. I wish nothing but the best for Shonda, Kerry and the rest of the cast, who have become like a second family to me in such a short amount of time. For this, I will forever be grateful.
For the last few weeks, Short’s personal life has been marred by accusations of domestic violence that included threatening not only to kill his wife but to commit suicide as well. Weeks before that, he had a violent altercation with a random man at a bar. Then there was the use of the n-word during a recent appearance on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Some people thought something was off and even questioned if he was sober. Short denied all of those accusations.
A statement has not been released by Rhimes as to why Short was written off the show. But one thing is for sure: Rhimes doesn’t play when it comes to running a tight ship and keeping her cast in check and drama-free.
Fans of the show are definitely reacting to Short’s statement:
I guess we’ll all have to wait until the fall to see what happened to Harrison and how he meets his demise.