After 12 seasons, the popular CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory will finally come to an end, the show’s network, studio, and executive producer announced Wednesday.
“We are forever grateful to our fans for their support of The Big Bang Theory during the past twelve seasons,” CBS, Warner Bros. Television, and executive producer Chuck Lorre said in a joint statement, per Deadline. “We, along with the cast, writers and crew, are extremely appreciative of the show’s success and aim to deliver a final season, and series finale, that will bring The Big Bang Theory to an epic creative close.”
The series is set to premiere its final season on Monday, Sept. 24, before switching to its regular time slot on Thursday, Sept. 27. The season and series will conclude in May 2019.
The Big Bang Theory‘s 12-season run is the longest of multi-camera series in television history. It debuted in 2007 and will conclude with 279 produced episodes. Along the way, the show received 52 Emmy nominations—winning 10 of them—to date.
The series was well-received among audiences as well, becoming the highest-rated comedy on television by its fourth season. The Big Bang Theory also spawned a spinoff series, Young Sheldon, based on one of the show’s leading characters, Sheldon Cooper, who is portrayed by Jim Parsons. Its second season will also premiere on Sept. 24.
The announcement of the show’s conclusion comes as a bit of a surprise. In May, CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl suggested there was more to come. “As long as Chuck and his team have stories to tell,” he said, “we will take the show for as long as they want to go. We can take a few more seasons.”
