More honesty could have saved Shannen Doherty from getting fired, Jason Priestley reveals about Beverly Hills, 90210

Priestley reflects on Doherty’s exit

On Pete Ferriero’s podcast, Jason Priestley discussed Shannen Doherty’s departure from Beverly Hills, 90210. He said he had no personal conflict with her and remembered her as a talented performer and scene partner.

Asked whether removing her was the right decision, Priestley called it difficult to judge. He said that if Doherty had explained more about what was happening in her life, the people involved might have chosen differently.

Doherty played Brenda Walsh, twin sister to Priestley’s Brandon. She left after season four, while the series continued for six more seasons.

Personal pressures affected work

Doherty spoke about her exit in 2024 on her podcast, with Priestley as a guest. She said problems in her marriage to Ashley Hamilton made it difficult to be consistently on time for work.

She also said her father was seriously ill and that Hamilton struggled with drug addiction. Doherty described feeling afraid to leave home because she worried he would seek drugs. Doherty said she wished someone had warned her before firing her, but also acknowledged she could have been more open about her circumstances.

Cast feared losing a key presence

Priestley described Doherty’s departure as frightening for him and the other cast members. He viewed her as an important part of what made the series successful and said her absence would affect both her career and the show.

He said the decision was not made lightly. After Doherty’s death in July 2024, Priestley remembered her in an Instagram post as a forceful presence and sent support to her family.

Priestley later left the series

Priestley also recalled asking executive producer Aaron Spelling to end the show while it was still successful. On Jennie Garth’s 9021OMG podcast, he said the eighth season had begun to feel different to him.

Spelling, Priestley recalled, rejected the idea of ending the series. Priestley left at the start of season nine; Beverly Hills, 90210 ran from 1990 to 2000.