The newest season of Virgin River just dropped, and the show has already lost two longtime cast members.
Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed on Thursday, March 12, that Marco Grazzini will not be returning as Mike, telling Deadline, “He’s not coming back for season 8.” Lauren Hammersley, who has been playing Charmaine since the show premiered on Netflix, is also not expected to come back — at least for now.
“For me, I’m just trying to look to the longevity of the show and making sure that the characters that we’re keeping have enough story engine in them to keep going,” Smith noted. “So I can’t say there are any specific cast shakeups planned, but I think we will have to start to — as characters run their course — make some decisions and bring in some new blood.”
With the exception of Grazzini, 45, the rest of Virgin River‘s season 7 series regulars are expected to return in season 8. Based on the book series written by Robyn Carr, Virgin River centers around the lives of residents living in a small town in Northern California, including Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and her love interest, Jack (Martin Henderson). The series also stars Colin Lawrence, Annette O’Toole, Tim Matheson, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Sarah Dugdale, Zibby Allen and Kai Bradbury.
This isn’t the first time the show has gone through some changes behind the scenes. Grayson Gurnsey left as Ricky after season 4, and Mark Ghanimé, who played Cameron, had a surprising exit once season 6 was released.
“I think this season saw a little bit of a sendoff for Cameron,” Smith exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2024. “In terms of Mark, the actor who I adore, he unfortunately won’t be coming back for season 7.”
Smith didn’t rule out a potential return in the future. “But that’s not to say that Cameron’s not a part of our world forever,” he added. “I would love to bring him back, and bring his character back when the story presents itself.”
Grazzini, meanwhile, was involved in a love triangle on the show involving Brie (Allen) and Brady (Hollingsworth).
“A good love triangle is only as strong as the options you’re presenting, and also looking at the influence that [Brie’s] choice would have on her life,” Smith noted to Us. “So imagining what her future could look like with Brady compared to what it could look like with Mike. And I think that’s where it works really well.”
Before season 7 premiered on Thursday, Hollingsworth, 41, teased a possible outcome to the love triangle.
“I personally don’t think that Brie’s heart is necessarily with Mike,” he hinted to Us in November 2025. “You’ll see both of them trying to navigate what this new normal looks like. Whether it involves Mike or not is really something that [you have to wait and see].”
Hollingsworth continued: “Brady just wants to be the best version of himself. Part of that is trying to give Brie space to figure out what she wants and let her come to him. I think that’s very hard for Brady to do.”
Virgin River is currently streaming on Netflix.
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