The Simpsons characters voiced by Harry Shearer will not be retired from the show, executive producer/showrunner Al Jean revealed, following Shearer's departure from series. Characters voiced by Shearer, including Ned Flanders and Mr. Burns, will simply be recast.

"Harry Shearer was offered the same deal the rest of the cast accepted, and passed. The show will go on and we wish him well. Maggie took it hard. We do not plan to kill off characters like Burns and Flanders but will recast with the finest voiceover talent available."

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In a statement provided to the New York Times , Jean said:Shearer's departure from The Simpsons was announced last night . The actor suggested his exit was a result of a conflict between himself and The Simpsons' showrunners. However, according to Jean, Shearer was offered the same deal as the rest of the cast, but chose to decline. "The show will go on and we wish him well," Jean added.Shearer has been a prominent voice actor on The Simpsons since 1989. He's voiced multiple characters in the series, including Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, and many more.

Jordan Sirani is a freelance news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @jdsirani