Charmed Stars Criticize Shannen Doherty Firing as 'Sick and Twisted'

Holly Marie Combs and Brian Krause, stars of the TV series Charmed, have publicly criticized the handling of co-star Shannen Doherty's firing from the show, describing it as "sick and twisted." Doherty, who directed her final episode, the season three finale "All Hell Breaks Loose," was fired after three seasons, with her character Prue killed off and replaced by a new character played by Rose McGowan. Combs revealed that Doherty was informed of her termination during the show's hiatus via a phone call, which shocked the cast as they were not made aware beforehand. Both Combs and Krause expressed frustration that no one has openly discussed the full truth behind Doherty's exit due to fear of backlash from fans and colleagues. Krause noted the show felt very different after Doherty's departure, while Combs labeled the final episode featuring Doherty as the "worst episode ever" due to the circumstances surrounding it. The controversy stems partly from internal tensions on set, including fears of a hostile work environment that influenced the producers' decision to replace Doherty.