Nicollette Sheridan has announced she is leaving the CW's Dynasty. 

The actress joined the reboot as Alexis Carrington midway through season one. TVLine report that the CW and CBS Studios confirmed the news in a statement, saying she was leaving to "focus on some personal family responsibilities." "She was a valuable asset to the show and we wish her continued success in the future," they added. An insider told the publication that the role may be recast. The former Desperate Housewives star released her own statement on Tuesday, where she said she was hopeful fans would "embrace my successor with as much passion as they embraced me.” She said:

“Working on the Dynasty reboot and reprising the iconic role of Alexis has been thoroughly enjoyable, but the chance to spend precious time with my terminally ill mother is more important to me right now. "I am profoundly grateful to Mark Pedowitz (The CW) and David Stapf (CBS) for graciously allowing me to return to Los Angeles to be with her, and I wish them and everyone associated with the show nothing but continued success."

Her final episode will reportedly air in March. Her departure comes after a number of other casting shakeups, including James Mackay and Nathalie Kelley. Mackay, who played Steven Carrington, announced his departure after his character left for Paraguay in an episode airing in November last year. He briefly reappeared in one of last month's episodes, so we're keeping our fingers crossed it won't be the last fans see of him. Meanwhile, Nathalie Kelley, who played Fallon and Steven's stepmother Cristal Carrington, previously confirmed that she wouldn't be back for season two. While she hinted that the writers may just put her character in a coma in a traditional and dramatic soap move, it was revealed in the season two premiere that Cristal died in the dramatic season one finale. Ana Brenda Contreras joined the second season of the series as the 'real Cristal', Cristal Jennings. Dynasty airs on Friday nights on the CW in North America, with new episodes arriving on Saturdays on Netflix in Ireland.