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When the CW's Vampire Diaries returns next fall it will be without star Nina Dobrev who announced that she was leaving the hit drama after the end of the current sixth season.

"I've just spent the most beautiful weekend on Lake Lanier in Georgia with my own TVD Family, the cast and crew of The Vampire Diaries," Dobrev wrote on Instagram. "I want to be the first to tell you that it wasn't just a holiday celebration, it was a goodbye party. I always knew I wanted Elena's story to be a six season adventure, and within those six years I got the journey of a lifetime."

Here is a statement from TVD showrunner Julie Plec:

"Saying goodbye to Nina is both bittersweet and beautiful. After six-plus years together, the entire cast and crew of The Vampire Diaries has reached a level of closeness that I don't think any of us ever expected. Nina is excited to spread her wings, get some rest, travel the world and also take it by storm, and we support her a thousand-fold. We will miss Nina and the four hundred characters she played, but we look forward to the insane and exciting challenge of continuing to tell stories of our Salvatore Brothers and our much-loved and gifted ensemble."

Dobrev is not the only TVD cast member to change status next season. Here is what Plec said about Michael Trevino, recently cast in a pilot.

"Michael has been a beloved member of the Vampire Diaries family since day one. Even though he's also going to be out in the world exploring new opportunities, we look forward to finding creative ways to make sure he and his character Tyler Lockwood always remain a part of the show."