ER regular Laura Innes will exit the medical drama this season after agreeing to give her unlucky character Dr. Kerry Weaver a lucky break - after 12 years. The actress agreed it was time to leave the show last year and has been working with writers and producers to make sure her beloved character isn't killed off.

She says, "We talked about how it should wind up... I said, 'Please don't kill me off - throw me down an elevator shaft or have a helicopter fall on me. Please don't do that.' I said I'd really like it for this character who's had such a difficult time - sort of like one tragedy after the other - to have a happy exit. I won't give it all away but she has these opportunities come up and has these realizations that she's allowed to have a happy life and she chooses that."

Innes is trying not to think about her exit but admits she'll find it tough to say goodbye to the show. She adds, "It's gonna be pretty surreal not to be coming to work every day."

But she won't be gone for long - and plans to revive her character in future episodes: "I am coming back to direct an episode in March and there's some talk of coming back next year and doing some acting episodes but that's all up in the air."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)