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Chevy Chase has left Community, it has been revealed.



The Pierce Hawthorne actor has come to a mutual agreement with producers to depart the NBC comedy effective immediately, reports Deadline.

Community is coming towards the end of filming on its fourth season, meaning Chase will appear in all but one or two episodes of the new run.

It is unclear as of yet whether the departure of Chase - who has worked on the show for three-and-a-half years - will be written into the script.

The news comes after a number of high-profile incidents and clashes involving Chase.

Last month, he was alleged to have launched into an on-set tirade in which he used racist language, while Chase was also famously involved in a public feud with the sitcom's creator Dan Harmon.

The veteran comedian had left an angry message on the phone of Harmon, who accused Chase of being drunk when he made the call.

Harmon later apologised to Chase for releasing the message to the public, while Chase said that leaving the message was "the right thing to do".

Harmon was later fired from the show.

Chase has also previously described joining Community as "a big mistake".

"The hours are hideous, and it's still a sitcom on television, which is probably the lowest form of television. That's my feeling about it," he said.

"I think the reason I have stuck around is because I love these kids, the cast - they are very good.

"It's not like I am working with the great innovators of all time, but at the same time, they are my friends and I am out, and one of my daughters is out here, and wants to be in the business, so she is living with me."

Community season four will premiere on NBC on February 7, having been pushed back from its original return date of October.