Ashlee Simpson's Character Being Written Off Melrose Place

Melrose Place is doing a major overhaul of it's cast in the upcoming months. Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and co-star Colin Egglesfield are being let go from the show. They are also adding new cast members to change up the tone of the new series.

But, before the media goes wild saying that Ashlee wasn't good enough or the other crazy rumors that will fly, the executive producers, Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer, set the record straight that her character was only to be a short-term one from the start.

EW: So it was always the plan for Ashlee to leave after episode 12?
SLAVKIN: Yes. Because we felt that once the murder mystery was resolved, the tone of the show was going to shift into a much more fun, romantic, sexy upbeat kind of show, and [her] character would move on.

EW: How did Ashlee and Colin take the news?
SLAVKIN: They’re total professionals and they took it like professionals. When you go into a show you never know what’s going to evolve and what the possibilities are. But because they knew ahead of time [that leaving was a possibility], it wasn’t a complete shock.

They also shared that Heather Locklear is going to be with the series long-term.

EW: How long do you have Heather for?
SLAVKIN: A long time. She’s in every episode moving forward. She’s a major focus [of the show]. She has a hidden agenda that will become not so hidden as the episodes move along. She’s not just the boss of Ella [Katie Cassidy].

Are you watching the show? What do you think about them changing the direction of the show to something more "fun, sexier, romantic"? Will it still appeal to you?

Photos by WENN