When did Bishop leave NCIS? Timeline and exit storyline explained

NCIS, the CBS crime show that has been on the air for a long time, has had many beloved characters come and go, but few departures made as many people curious as Special Agent Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop's. In season 11, Bishop, played by the talented Emily Wickersham, became a key member of the Major Case Response Team. She was on the show for eight seasons, but it ended dramatically in the eighteenth season.

Ellie Bishop's character was last seen in the NCIS Season 18 finale, which aired on May 25, 2021. In 2013, Wickersham joined the cast and spent almost eight years playing the special agent in 172 episodes. During her time, Bishop changed from an analyst and probationary agent to a well-respected senior field agent, leaving a lasting mark on the series.

Bishop leaving NCIS: Know about Timeline and exit storyline explained

In the Season 18 finale on May 25, 2021, Emily Wickersham's character, Special Agent Eleanor Ellie Bishop, officially quit the NCIS team. Wickersham first appeared on the show in Season 11, Episode 9, which aired in 2013. She first became an NSA analyst and was a liaison officer for NCIS before becoming a probationary agent. She then became a senior field agent on Agent Gibbs's team.

Why Eleanor Bishop left NCIS

The decision for Eleanor Bishop to leave NCIS was made by the actress herself, Emily Wickersham, and was not a storyline imposed by the show's writers or producers. Wickersham did not give an official reason for her departure at the time. She announced her exit on Instagram on May 26, 2021:

“Hangin this hat and jacket up. What a great ride it’s been. This cast, this crew, are top notch. I can’t say enough kind words about this group that I’ve had the pleasure of working with for close to 8 years now and 172 episodes later. This business is finicky and weird and consistency is a rarity. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of a show where I got to show up and act and laugh and learn with wonderful people. A moment in time I surely won’t forget. Thank you CBS and NCIS for including me in a part of television history. Time goes fast. Eat it up but chew slowly. ❤️. #ncis #cbs.”

Wickersham announced her pregnancy two months after her goodbye post. This led fans to initially think that was the reason she left the show about crime that had been on for a long time. But the actress later said on the Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch podcast that the pregnancy was not planned, and the events happened at about the same time.

How Eleanor Bishop was written off NCIS

Bishop's exit storyline was dramatic and scandalous; it gave her a clear reason to leave the Major Case Response Team right away and left open the possibility that she could come back. In the season 18 finale, Rule 91, it is first shown that Bishop was the person who leaked a private file from the NSA.

The real reason behind this seeming act of betrayal is then revealed. The leak was planned by Odette Malone (Elayn J. Taylor), a former CIA teacher who had been teaching Bishop, and was done on purpose. The whole plan was a trick to ruin Bishop's reputation so she could be "fired" from NCIS. This fake scandal gave Bishop the chance to go on a long-term, deep-cover mission with Odette Malone.

Bishop's messy "will-thee-won't-thee" romance with Special Agent Nick Torres was also part of this exit story. Before Bishop left her old life behind to start her secret mission, she kissed Torres. This showed that she really loved him, even though she had to leave in a hurry and it hurt her. Even though Eleanor Bishop was no longer a member of the NCIS team, this unclear but dramatic exit story made it possible for the character to return to the NCIS universe at some point.

NCIS episodes are available to stream on CBS.