Popular children's show Sesame Street has announced a new direction, by laying off most of the longtime cast - including some who have been there for more than 45 seasons.
Original cast member Bob McGrath broke the news at Florida Supercon, saying "they let all of the original cast members go, with the exception of Alan Muraoka - who is still on the show, he is probably 20 years younger than the rest of us - and Chris Knowings, who is also young".
Sesame Workshop has confirmed the news, saying in a statement: "Since the show began, we are constantly evolving our content and curriculum, and hence, our characters, to meet the educational needs of children. As a result of this, our cast has changed over the years, though you can still expect to see many of them in upcoming productions."
Sesame Workshop has denied the layoffs have anything to do with the shift from PBS to network giant HBO, saying it "retains sole creative control over the show. HBO does not oversee production."
For fans that have grown up with the cast, the familiar faces will be missed and the Street won't be the same.
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