Overview

• Walker expanded on his "toxic" description in a new Variety interview, criticizing long stretches without clarity on employment during the off-season.
• He said his own situation differed from those left in limbo but called for "a sprinkle of humanity" and greater transparency about renewals and cuts.
• NBCUniversal announced five featured players for season 51 — Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska — with a return set for Oct. 4.
• Recent exits include cast members Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow and Emil Wakim, alongside writers Celeste Yim, Rosebud Baker and John Higgins, according to Entertainment Weekly.
• Walker has not publicly detailed whether producers initiated his departure, and representatives for the show did not respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment.