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Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson on ‘Virgin River’.Credit: Netflix
Virgin River‘s small-town population has officially dwindled by two.
Entertainment Weekly can confirm that two major actors will leave the show ahead of a planned season 8, with Marco Grazzini and Lauren Hammersley departing the long-running drama series.
The news broke the same day season 7 debuted its 10-episode installment on Netflix, in which Grazzini plays a significant role as the returning Mike, a local police officer who helps Brie (Zibby Allen) as she goes on a mission to locate the missing Charmaine (Hammersley) after a grisly discovery in Thursday’s season premiere.
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Grazzini first joined the show — an adaptation of writer Robyn Carr’s novel series — in a recurring capacity on season 2, with his character eventually forming a romantic bond with the aforementioned Brie as the role expanded to the main cast for season 3.
The actress appears in only two season 7 episodes, with minimal screen time in both.
EW has reached out to representatives for both stars for comment.
Virgin River‘s season 7 comes after a well-received run for the beloved series, which follows a nurse, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), who moves to a small California town to start a new life following the death of her husband.
There, she meets the charming Jack, whose family and friends in Virgin River form a unique bond with Mel as she integrates into life in the picturesque, heavily forested hamlet.
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As two cast members leave the show, Virgin River welcomed new additions to its lineup for season 7 as well. The Vampire Diaries actress Sara Canning joined the project this year, as did One Tree Hill alum Austin Nichols.
The biggest season 7 addition, however, is that of Clay (Riverdale‘s Cody Kearsley), a mysterious rodeo rider who moseys into town with a problematic past.
Virgin River season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.


