The man who created 24 is leaving the show:
“24″ co-creator/executive producer Joel Surnow is leaving the Emmy-winning Fox drama.
Surnow’s departure is effective immediately. He served as an executive producer on the first eight episodes of the real-time thriller’s seventh season that were produced before and into the strike but will not be creatively involved in the remaining 16 episodes, slated to begin filming shortly.
Surnow’s overall deal with “24″ producer 20th Century Fox TV was up April 30. This week, the writer-producer asked the studio to release him early, and it agreed.
Instead of signing a show deal to continue providing services on “24,” Surnow decided to go for “a clean break” and leave altogether to focus on new projects. (”24″ co-creator/executive producer Robert Cochran’s overall pact with 20th TV also expired last year, but he continues to work on the series.)
What this means for the show remains to be seen, and, thanks to the writer’s strike, that probably means waiting until January 2009.
H/T: Libertas
