Kelli Giddish to exit 'Law & Order: SVU' after 12 seasons

Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Law & Order: SVU star Kelli Giddish is leaving the show after 12 seasons.

The 42-year-old actress confirmed her departure from the NBC crime drama in an Instagram post Wednesday.

Giddish joined Law & Order: SVU as Amanda Rollins in Season 13. She will make her final appearance in Season 24, which premieres Sept. 22.

"I wanted to address the chatter I've seen online and let everyone know that this will, indeed, be my last season on 'Law & Order: SVU,'" the actress said. "Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life. I've been so fortunate to be a part of the 'Law & Order' family for the last 12 years."

"There is simply no other character on TV like Rollins," she added. "She's grown and changed, and I have as well. I started on this show when I was in my late 20s and I'm grateful I got to spend so many of my adult years with Rollins in my life."

Giddish then thanked series creator Dick Wolf, co-star and executive producer Mariska Hargitay, former showrunner Warren Leight, executive producer Peter Jankowski, NBC, Universal Television, and the cast and crew.

"I'm so excited to take all the things I have learned in my time on 'SVU' and put them toward everything that's next to come," she said.

Executive producer Julie Martin reacted to the news on Twitter.

"Thank you to the beautiful, kind, smart and outrageously talented @KelliGiddish words can't describe what a joy and a privilege it has been to be by your side, learning and growing with Amanda Rollins for the past eleven seasons. The road will bring us together again. XO," Martin wrote.

David Graziano, who will replace Leight as showrunner in Season 24, responded with a crying emoji in the comments of Giddish's post. He then followed up with a longer comment.

"You might take a moment to entertain the idea that things are more complex than they appear in a world of emojis and tweets," Graziano wrote. "All I'll say is Kelli has handled this with the most incredibly classy comportment. She is, without a doubt, one of the finest industry professionals I've come across in my 24 years of writing for television. I'm saddened by her looming exit. It'll be my lucky day if I ever get to write for her again."