Allison Janney has said goodbye to TV series Mom after CBS announced on Thursday it will end the sitcom this year after eight seasons.
The actress, 61, who plays Bonnie on the hit show, described being part of Mom as ‘one of the great honors of my life’ in a heartfelt Instagram post soon after.
The American show, which deals with the topic of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, was cancelled following the abrupt departure of lead Anna Faris last September.
Farewell: Allison Janney has said goodbye to TV series Mom after CBS announced on Thursday it is ending the sitcom this year after eight seasons
Despite Faris, 44, leaving just days before production was due to begin, the show continued with her co-star Janney at the helm – but it was to be the show’s final season.
Alison took to Instagram to share an article reporting the show’s cancellation, as she paid tribute to the show’s creators, writers and crew members.
The Academy Award winning actress wrote: ‘Getting to be part of MOM these past 8 years…showing the laughter, love and hope that can come with recovery, has been one of the great honors of my life.’
Honored: The actress, 61, described taking part in the show as ‘one of the great honors of my life’ in a heartfelt Instagram post on Thursday
‘I want to thank Chuck Lorre, Gemma Baker, Nick Bakay, and all the writers – Eddie Gorodetsky, Alissa Neubauer, Susan McMartin, Sheldon Bull, Adam Chase, Marco Pennette, Britte’ E. Anchor, Warren Bell, Anne Flett-Giordano, Michael Shipley, Ilana Wernick, Laura House, Christine Zander, Chelsea Myers, Chandra Thomas, Robyn Morrison, Mike Binder, Hayley Mortison, Michael Borkow, Sam Miller, Maria Espada, Nadiya Chettiar for giving us these wonderfully flawed and lovable characters to bring to life. I miss seeing all of your faces.
‘And these amazingly talented actors I got to act with everyday!!! Mimi, Jaime, Kristen, Beth, and the coolest man on the planet, Bill Fichtner. and of course Anna Faris.
‘Jamie Widdoes for your patience and dedication and enormous talent steering this ship!
Tearful goodbyes: The American sitcom was axed after following the dramatic exit of lead Anna Faris (pictured) last September – just days before production was due to begin
‘Our entire crew, your laughter and love and dedication to this show has made it a joy to come to work ❤️
‘And last but not least all of our extraordinary fans!!! Thank you for all of your support over the years.’
This comes just days after Alison’s appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres show where she described going back to set without Faris as ‘odd’.
Speaking about her former co-star’s shocking and abrupt exit, she said: ‘Yeah, it was very odd and she’s very missed. Anna is missed and her character on the show is missed.’
Not the same: This comes just days after Alison’s appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres show where she described going back to set without Faris as ‘odd’
Janney then expressed her wish for the series to continue, despite Faris having been marketed as the main star and character of the show when it first premiered in 2013.
‘We’re just happy that she’s doing what she wants to do now, and we’re happy even more so that we’re able to still tell these stories about these great women in recovery,’ she said, referring to the fact that the series takes place in an Alcoholics Anonymous group.
Janney continued: ‘And I think there are some really wonderful characters that have been established. And people love the show so, we’re gonna keep telling the stories as long as we can.’
What happened?! Allison sat down to talk to Ellen DeGeneres about Anna abruptly leaving the hit show
Actress Mimi Kennedy – who plays Marjorie on the hit show Mom – shared an online petition started by fans who are calling for the CBS sitcom to be saved after its cancellation.
Mimi Kennedy, 72, posted to her Instagram on Thursday: ‘The audience has a voice and shouldn’t be be ignored,’ promising to share the Change.org petition.
However, it’s now the end of the road for the series, despite the work put in by the ensemble cast and the petition from fans.
‘Save the sitcom MOM!’ Actress Mimi Kennedy shared a fan petition on Thursday to rescue show after getting axed
In a statement obtained by Variety, the show’s executive producers Chuck Lorre, Gemma Baker and Nick Bakay said: ‘For the past eight years, we’ve had the great honor to bring these wonderful characters to life, sharing their struggles and triumphs with millions of viewers every week.
‘From the beginning, we set out to tell stories about recovery from alcoholism and addiction that are rarely portrayed in a network comedy series.’
‘Whether it was the emotional reactions of the live audience on tape night inside Stage 20, or discussions at The White House regarding the opioid crisis, or the personal stories we continue to receive on social media, we take great pride in knowing Mom has positively impacted so many lives.
‘We are forever grateful to our brilliant cast and guest stars, wonderful writers, and amazing crew for going on this journey with us,’ the statement concluded.
How they are now: The eighth season of Mom features its regulars, Mimi Kennedy, Kristen Johnston, Allison Janney, Jaime Pressley and Beth Hall
‘Very odd’: Anna Faris was marketed as the main star and character of the show Mom when it first premiered in 2013, but it continued without her for one season
Created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker, Mom was initially conceived as a vehicle for Faris, after her string of successful comedic roles in movies, including The House Bunny and Smiley Face.
However, the show – which deals with the topic of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction – went through its fair share of changes throughout seasons.
By season three, it was less about Faris’ character Christy and her children, and more of an ensemble comedy – with supporting actors Jaime Pressley, Mimi Kennedy and Beth Hall getting more screentime.
In 2018, Kristen Johnston made a big impact playing Tammy Diffendorf, Bonnie’s (Janney) foster sister who ended up in prison after she attempted to rob an Outback Steakhouse.
It wasn’t long before Johnston was invited to be a series regular, and the show is now seen as an ensemble piece between the five actors – arguably with Janney as the lead.
Meanwhile, Faris released a statement at the time of her shock exit, saying: ‘The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career.’
She added: ‘I’m so thankful to Chuck [Lorre], the writers, and my amazing castmates for creating a truly wonderful work experience.’
Mother daughter duo no more: Faris and Janney had incredible chemistry on the show, which made Faris’ exit all the more shocking (the pair pictured in 2018)