10 TV Stars Who Controversially Left Their Hit Shows

3. Richard Coyle - Coupling

Coupling was a success largely because it was able to maintain a careful equilibrium with its ensemble cast. Each character had something to contribute to the whole, and unique styles of humor balanced each other out. You take one of those pieces away and it all collapses like a game of Jenga. Imagine what would have happened if one of the cast members of Friends had left the show three seasons in. It wouldn't work anymore. Well, that's what happened with Coupling. Susan and Steve had a grounded, dry sense of humor, while Patrick and Sally felt more like something you might see on Sex and the City. Jane lived to shock people, but Jeff? Jeff was a wild card. You never quite knew what was going to come out of his mouth. Richard Coyle brought a gleeful mania to the Welshman, and played a big part in the show's success. Three seasons into the show, and Coupling was one of Britain's most popular sitcoms. But then Coyle moved on, and left some pretty big shoes to fill. They tried to replace him with a character named Oliver, but he was a poor excuse for Jeff. As for Coyle, he's still working, although nowhere near the level of celebrity he had attained while on Coupling.