Fans of the sitcom “Mom” are in shock right now after it was announced that star Anna Faris, who has been with the show from the very beginning, is leaving the program ahead of season 8.

Deadline reported that the announcement was particularly surprising given the fact that Faris and her costar Allison Janney are in the middle of two-year contracts that they each signed in 2019. It is believed that Faris’ departure was finalized early on in the show’s hiatus, meaning the writers have been writing the new season without her character.

Faris’ role will not be recast, and her absence will be addressed in the season’s premiere episode on September 14.

“The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career,” Farris said. “I’m so thankful to Chuck, the writers, and my amazing castmates for creating a truly wonderful work experience. While my journey as Christy has come to an end, allowing me to pursue new opportunities, I’ll be watching next season and rooting for my TV family.”

“From the inception of Mom, Anna was the first and only choice for the role of Christy,” WBTV, CBS and Chuck Lorre Prods. said in a joint statement. “We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell during Anna’s seven years with us. We wish Anna all the best, and we thank her for her beautiful portrayal.”

“Mom” focuses on the daughter/mother duo Christy (Faris) and Bonnie Plunkett (Janney), who, after having been estranged for years while both were struggling with addiction. The show chronicles their attempts to pull their lives and their relationship together by trying to stay sober.

The program had one episode left to shoot from its seventh season when the coronavirus-related Hollywood shutdown suspended all production in mid-March. “Mom” also stars Mimi Kennedy, Jaime Pressly, Beth Hall, William Fichtner and Kristen Johnston. The executive producers of the show are Chuck Lorre, Nick Bakay, Gemma Baker and Warren Bell.

Faris had a successful career in movies prior to taking the role on “Mom,” which was her first regular role on television.