Emily to leave at end of season seven of 'Arrow'

27-year-old Emily Bett Rickards will be departing "Arrow" at the end of its season seven.

The actress shared the news with a poetic sendoff to her character. "Felicity and I are a very tight two, but after one through seven, we will be saying goodbye to you," she wrote.

"I will keep her in my heart for always. And I hope you can too because she would not be alive if it weren't for all of you," Emily wrote.

In a joint statement to etonline.com on Saturday, "Arrow" executive producers Greg Berlanti and Beth Schwartz said, "We've had the pleasure of working with Emily since season one and in those past seven years she has brought one of TV's most beloved characters to life.

"And although we're heartbroken to see both Emily and Felicity leave the show, we're supportive of Emily and her future endeavours. She will always have a family at 'Arrow'."

Co-star Stephen Amell, who plays Oliver Queen in the series, simply tweeted a photograph of Felicity's first appearance in season one.

Emily's exit means the show's eighth and final season will not feature Felicity, who, in addition to being Oliver's wife, is the mother of his child and a major part of Team Arrow.

--IANS

nn/pcj