Ian Somerhalder Leaving ‘The Vampire Diaries’? Nina Dobrev’s Ex Reportedly Panicked Over Her Rumored Return, New Time Slot

Ian Somerhalder is reportedly worried following the news that The Vampire Diaries is set to be moved to a new time slot. According to Celeb Dirty Laundry, the hit series will be moved to Friday nights as it continues its seventh season. Although the move may seem trivial to some, it is an indication that the series might be approaching an early conclusion. With that in mind, is Somerhalder ready to leave The Vampire Diaries before it ends?

The Vampire Diaries has held its Thursday night schedule for some time now, and a move to Friday is typical for shows that are getting ready to be cancelled or are suffering from low ratings. In this case, both of these factors may have played a part in the change. In fact, many fans have already noted this and expressed their own worry that the hit series may be approaching an end.

That being said, just because the show was moved to Friday does not mean that its fate is certain. There have been other hit shows, including Bones, which were moved to Friday night and still managed to remain strong. However, Nina Dobrev’s recent exit has already taken a toll in the ratings department, making it less likely the show will be able to make a recovery.

According to Movie News Guide, Dobrev’s character, Elena Gilbert, was a staple on the series since its beginning, and her departure did not sit well with many fans. Her absence was shown most clearly in the ratings for Season 7, which were hit with a dip of some 33 percent from other seasons.

In particular, things reached a new low during the premiere of the seventh episode in the current season, titled “Mommie Dearest.” Although the show has previously enjoyed a loyal fan base, this episode only managed to attract a little over one million viewers in its lowest ratings ever. With the numbers being significantly lower following Dobrev’s departure, the studio was forced to make a change over to Friday night.

The CW is planning to air its newest series Legends of Tomorrow — which is a spin-off from The Flash and Arrow — in place of The Vampire Diaries time on Thursday nights.

The only question remaining is exactly where Ian Somerhalder stands in light of all of these developments. With the future of the show in question, the actor may be setting himself up for an early exit. In fact, in an interview with Variety, Somerhalder hinted that the show might be headed for some dark times.

“I personally think everyone thought it was going to be a huge departure after Elena (Nina Dobrev) was gone. And I was one of those people,” he explained to the outlet. “I thought it was going to be a huge departure for the typical formula of our show. By virtue of the fact that it wasn’t a huge leap for mankind, as far as changing it up, there were some differences that sort of mixed up the formula.”

Apparently, this change in the formula of the show has yet to catch on with fans. Additionally, Dobrev’s absence is clearly making a bigger impact on the series than was previously thought. If things don’t change soon and the show continues to decrease in ratings, then it won’t be long before the show is forced to wrap up its main storyline for good.

Fans can watch the rest of Season 7 of The Vampire Diaries unfold in its new time slot on Friday nights on The CW. The show will be joined by The Originals, which is set to premiere on the same night.

Tell us! Do you think that Ian Somerhalder will really leave The Vampire Diaries? Let us know in the comments below.

[Image via The CW]