'Desperate Housewives' Trial: Nicollette Sheridan's Firing Discussed Months Before Marc Cherry Feud
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Former ABC Studios president Mark Pedowitz says he approved the decision to kill off Sheridan's Edie Britt since it's believed that 'there was no more storytelling to tell' about the character.

AceShowbiz - Mark Pedowitz took the stand in "Desperate Housewives" trial on Tuesday, March 6, confirming that he gave Marc Cherry a permission to kill off Nicollette Sheridan's character. The then-ABC Studios president, who is currently a CW president, claimed that the discussion to write out Edie Britt had taken place four months before the feud involving Sheridan and Cherry.

"Who ultimately was the one who killed off Edie Britt from ABC Studios?" Cherry's attorney Adam Levin asked, to which Pedowitz replied, "I did." He explained, "[Edie] was a main series regular and it required the network studio to sign off" on her character's exit.

Asked why they decided to write Edie's death in the show's storyline, Pedowitz said, "They felt there was no more storytelling to tell (about that character) after that season." He also pointed out that Cherry had wanted to kill off Sheridan's character in season 3, but the studio and network did not approve it, thus the character lasted until season 5.

In his testimony, Pedowitz also said that financial and H.R.-related reasons were never brought up during discussions to kill off Edie, claiming that he saw the move was taken solely for creative purpose. Still, he noted that he did mandate all ABC series to cut costs by 2 percent in 2008.

On why Sheridan was not informed about the end of her character right after the decision was made, Pedowitz explained, "The delay in telling her was because we hadn't determined when we were" going to kill off her character. He additionally claimed that they wanted it to be a surprise and were trying to keep it a secret so it would not leak out.

Sheridan is seeking $6 million in compensation in the battery and wrongful termination lawsuit against Cherry and ABC, claiming she was fired as a result of her fight with the show's creator.

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