Columbus Short has officially been axed from ABC’s hit political series “Scandal” amid personal struggles that have played out over the last few weeks.
The 31-year-old confirmed his exit Friday afternoon (April 25) in a statement:
“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 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 three seasons, Short played Harrison Wright, a loyal “gladiator in suit” working closely with Olivia Pope as they aimed to erase their clients’ scandals. The fate of his character was left in the air during the season finale where he was last seen with a gun pointing at his head.
Off screen, Short is dealing with two pending criminal cases, accusing him of misdemeanor spousal abuse against wife Tanee Short and felony battery stemming from a bar fight in Los Angeles last month.
If convicted, Short faces up to four years in state prison.