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“Virgin River” is getting a cast shakeup.
Stars Marco Grazzini and Lauren Hammersley are leaving the hit Netflix series before Season 8.
Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed the news to Deadline on Thursday, just as all ten episodes of Season 7 dropped on the streaming platform.
However, both actors could return for future seasons, according to Smith, who clarified that more cast shakeups aren’t planned.
“For me, I’m just trying to look to the longevity of the show and making sure that the characters that we’re keeping have enough story engine in them to keep going,” the showrunner shared.
“So I can’t say there are any specific cast shakeups planned,” he continued, “but I think we will have to start to — as characters run their course — make some decisions and bring in some new blood.”
Grazzini, who played police detective Mike Valenzuela, joined the show in Season 2 and was upped to series regular status in Season 3.
In the Season 7 finale, Mike fails to rekindle his relationship with Brie Sheridan (Zibby Allen), so he ends up rebounding with medical investigator Victoria (Sara Canning).
Canning is also leaving the series.
“Mike probably will be on the back burner for a little while until we have something we’ve written,” Smith told Deadline. “We have so many relationships already that I think a little bit of that was just a sort of happy ending for this chapter for Mike to find his way back to Victoria and to explore what happens there.”
Smith added, “But I love Marco and could see his character coming back in a more substantive role if the creative is right.”
Hammersley starred as Charmaine Roberts since Season 1. She was demoted to a recurring cast member in Season 5.
After going missing in the Season 6 finale, Charmaine was absent for all of Season 7 until she was found and rescued by Brie.
“No plans for Charmaine to be back in Season 8 but that’s not to say, when the right time comes, I’d love to bring the character back for something other than more cliffhangers and more lies on pregnancies,” Smith stated.
The rest of the Season 7 main cast — Allen, Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Colin Lawrence, Annette O’Toole, Tim Matheson, Ben Hollingsworth, Sarah Dugdale, Kai Bradbury and Kandyse McClure — will be back for Season 8, Smith confirmed.
The show was renewed for its next season in July 2025.
“On behalf of myself and the whole ‘Virgin River’ family, we’re eternally grateful to Netflix and to the fans for allowing us to continue on this journey with these beloved characters,” Smith told Netflix’s Tudum at the time.
The first seven seasons of “Virgin River” are streaming on Netflix.
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