Holly Marie Combs has spilled the beans on why she thinks her “Charmed” co-star Shannen Doherty hastily exited the series after its third season. On the latest episode of Doherty’s podcast “Let’s Be Clear,” Combs recalled meeting with show producer Jonathan Levin, who she said was forced to pick between Doherty and co-star Alyssa Milano to stay on the hit WB show.
“He said, you know, ‘We're basically in a position where it's one or the other. We were told [by Alyssa] that it's [Shannen] or me, and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment’ — which because she went to the therapist or the mediator or the corporate mediator, whatever the heck his title is, she built a case for herself where she was documenting every time she felt uncomfortable on set and for whatever reason. Whereas you and I refused to speak to him. So that's where the deck was stacked,” Combs said.
Doherty’s character Prue Halliwell was ultimately killed off in theSseason 3 finale, which aired in 2001. Rose McGowan later joined the cast as Paige Matthews.
Combs continued, saying she couldn’t remember any “brawls” or “harsh words exchanged” between her, Milano and Doherty on the set of the show: “I lived a year after that sort of replaying everything in my brain and really trying to find those moments. I don't ever remember being mean to her on set.
“As you get older, you accept that a situation happened. Acceptance and moving on with your life does not equate to forgiveness,” Combs said. “You just learn a lesson and look at somebody differently and move on.”
