Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the last remaining Law & Order series still in production, is going through some changes again. Richard Belzer, who has played the Munch character for over two decades now, is officially stepping down as a series regular.
The comedian has played John Munch for 15 years on SVU. Munch first appeared in Homicide: Life on the Streets in 1993. Belzer also played the character in episodes of The X-Files, The Wire, Law & Order, The Beat and even on 30 Rock, Sesame Street and Arrested Development.
According to The Huffington Post, Munch put in for retirement during the Oct. 9 episode and his colleagues are holding a party during the Oct. 16 episode.
A source told the HuffPo that Belzer will still make occasional appearances on the show as Munch. Sources for Entertainment Weekly said that he will be appointed a special investigator for the District Attorney.
SVU is currently in its 15th season and airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. The show’s current lead detectives are played Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, Ice-T and Kelli Giddish.
image: NBC