Mike Kelley to Step Down as REVENGE Showrunner

Mike Kelley, the man behind ABC's hit series REVENGE, has announced that he will be stepping down as showrunner for the show's third season.

Following a drop in ratings, and a mediocre sophomore outing, Kelley will reportedly be replaced by current executive producer Sunil Nayar, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Barry Jossen, ABC Studios' executive Vice president of creative and production, said, "Mike Kelley created a distinctive series for our studio and network with tremendous passion and dedication. We wish him all the best as he moves on to his next television achievement."

"In a difficult mutual decision between myself and ABC studios, the end of my current contract will mark my final season as showrunner for Revenge," Kelly said. "Helming this series has been the ride of a lifetime, and my producing partner, Melissa Loy, and I will look back on our Revenge time with deep gratitude and respect for Emily [VanCamp] and Madeleine [Stowe] and the rest of the incredible cast, our heroic crew, the dedicated and imaginative producing and writing team, and the tireless post production department. I would also like to thank Paul Lee, his marketing team, and the creative executives at ABC and ABC studios for their profound support throughout this journey. I'm excited about finishing post production on the season two finale, which I hope will stand among the best episodes of the series thus far. Continued success to all."

Revenge stars Emily Vancamp ("Brothers & Sisters," "Everwood") as Emily Thorne, Madeleine Stowe ("We Were Soldiers," "The Last of the Mohicans") as Victoria Grayson, Henry Czerny ("Mission: Impossible," "Clear and Present Danger") as Conrad Grayson, Josh Bowman ("Prowl") as Daniel Grayson, Nick Wechsler ("Roswell") as Jack Porter, Gabriel Mann ("The Bourne Identity") as Nolan Ross, Ashley Madekwe ("Secret Diary of a Call Girl") as Ashley Davenport, Christa B. Allen ("13 Going on 30") as Charlotte Grayson and Connor Paolo ("Gossip Girl") as Declan Porter.

Revenge airs every Sunday at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.

Photo by: Rex USA