The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons posts heartfelt message about show's ending

Jim Parsons has broken his silence about the news that The Big Bang Theory will end its historic run, saying he’s “terribly grateful” for the cast “who are all my playmates.”

The four-time Emmy winner didn’t address EW’s exclusive report that his decision to walk away from playing Dr. Sheldon Cooper is what prompted Wednesday’s shocking announcement. Instead, he talked about his affection for the cast and crew as well as the writers who “found ways to keep coming up with organic, entertaining ways to keep the life of this show going which is a task much, much more challenging than anyone other than them will ever know or understand.”

His full statement can be found by scrolling through his post here.

Parsons’ costars Mayim Bialik and Kaley Cuoco also posted their reactions to the show ending on social media; Bialik, who plays Parsons’ on-screen wife and became a series regular in season 4, says she is “very sad” about the upcoming season being the show’s last, while Cuoco, who’s been on the show since the beginning, is “drowning in tears” and promises fans the “best season yet.”

With a reported salary near $1 million per episode, Parsons — along with his four original costars Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar, and Simon Helberg — stood to make more than $50 million including profits if he agreed to stay on TBBT for two more years, which is what CBS was trying to negotiate.

But Parsons was ready to ready to say goodbye to the sitcom. Since there is no show without Dr. Sheldon Cooper, next spring’s 12th season finale of The Big Bang Theory will mark the end of the longest-running multi-camera series in TV history.

The 12th and final season of The Big Bang Theory will debut Monday, Sept. 24 on CBS before moving to its regular time period on Thursday, Sept. 27.