Jason Priestley reveals why he begged Aaron Spelling to end 'Beverly Hills, 90210' before abruptly quitting
Page Six • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Jason Priestley, who played Brandon Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210," wanted the show to end before its 10-season run concluded in 2000 due to frustration with increasingly outrageous storylines.
- Priestley described the show's later seasons as feeling like a soap opera, with plots involving comas and surprise sibling appearances, leading him to ask producer Aaron Spelling to end the series while it was still successful.
- Aaron Spelling refused to end the show, reportedly saying he would be "pulled off the set in a body bag," which prompted Priestley to leave early in the ninth season to pursue other career opportunities.
- Priestley later expressed regret about leaving, noting he might have stayed if he had known the show would only continue for another year and a half, and revealed that his departure disrupted plans for his character to marry Kelly Taylor, played by Jennie Garth.
- The original "Beverly Hills, 90210" aired from 1990 until May 2000, and Aaron Spelling passed away in 2006 at age 83.
