Private Practice is going to be short one doctor when it returns next year. Series regular Audra McDonald has announced she is leaving Private Practice to spend more time her family, but she hasn’t ruled out coming back for the occasional guest spot. “I have spent four amazing years working with the best cast and crew on television at Private Practice,” McDonald told TVLine.com. “Though I am stepping away from the series as a regular in order to spend more time in New York with my family, I am not closing the door on Private Practice or the character, Naomi. I am beyond grateful to Shonda Rhimes, ABC, and the team behind the show.”

Audra played Naomi Bennett on Private Practice, a founder of the Oceanside Wellness Centre that serves as the backdrop for the show. Since a fellow founder of the practice is her Ex-Husband Sam Bennett, played by Taye Diggs, Naomi’s story-lines often contributed to the dramatic complexity of Private Practice and serviced a dynamic that will be missed by fans.

While the news is no doubt saddening for Private Practice fans, it is exciting in another regard – giving us something to speculate about, feverishly. Just because Audra has sworn to return doesn’t mean Naomi couldn’t wind up permanently written out of the show. Dealing Naomi a death card is probably a bit too cliché a maneuver for the Private Practice writers room, though – that said, it should be very interesting to see how they deal with such a major shakeup in the Private Practice layout. Could it be that Naomi’s exit will make room for a new series regular? You can probably bet on it.