Chevy Chase leaves Community

Deadline has revealed that Chevy Chase has parted ways with NBC's cult comedy series Community by mutual consent, bringing to an end a difficult three-and-a-half year collaboration that saw the actor clashing with the show's producers on numerous occasions. Chase, who portrays the character of Pierce Hawthorne, will leave the show immediately, having already completed the bulk of filming for the fourth season.

Considering the recent history between Chase and the show's producers (not to mention his notoriously difficult behaviour), the actor's departure comes as little surprise. Last year, he was involved in a public spat with Community creator and former showrunner Dan Harmon, while he also threatened to leave the show following the conclusion of season three. Chase has panned the show on multiple occasions recently and just last month he was said to have dropped the N-word during the latest in an ongoing series of on set tirades.

After a career nosedive in the 90s that saw him appearing in trash like Cops and Robbersons, Man of the House and Snow Day, Chase had all but disappeared before securing a comeback of sorts with Community in 2009. However, his only big screen role of note since has been an extended cameo in 2010's Hot Tub Time Machine, and it's likely that his departure from Community prove the final nail in the career coffin of the once-great funnyman.