AceShowbiz -

Mike Kelley is departing "Revenge", the hit drama series that he created, at the end of the second season. On Monday, April 22, he announced his decision to step down as showrunner for the Emily VanCamp-starring show.

"In a difficult mutual decision between myself and ABC studios, the end of my current contract will mark my final season as showrunner for 'Revenge'," Kelley said in a statement. "Helming this series has been the ride of a lifetime..."

"...and my producing partner, Melissa Loy, and I will look back on our 'Revenge' time with deep gratitude and respect for Emily [VanCamp] and Madeleine [Stowe] and the rest of the incredible cast, our heroic crew, the dedicated and imaginative producing and writing team, and the tireless post production department ... I'm excited about finishing post production on the season two finale, which I hope will stand among the best episodes of the series thus far. Continued success to all."

ABC Studios Executive VP of Creative and Production Barry Jossen added, "Mike Kelley created a distinctive series for our studio and network with tremendous passion and dedication. We wish him all the best as he moves on to his next television achievement."

Words are, Kelley exits the show after lobbying for shorter seasons for the heavily serialized drama as the pressure of making 22 episodes per season sometimes causes tension on the set. Though he steps down from day-to-day responsibilities, he may still serve as a consultant.

No replacement is officially announced, but Deadline reports that writer/executive producer Sunil Nayar is a likely candidate for the job.