Although it was announced two months ago, Robert Kirkman - the showrunner for 'The Walking Dead' - confirmed the news that Andrew Lincoln is to leave the series at the end of the ninth season.

AMC, the television studio behind the series, never commented or confirmed the news when it first broke back in May - however in an IMDb interview, Kirkman made the news official and discussed how Lincoln is going to leave. "He cares about the show deeply. He wants to do something special on the way out. We’ve got something amazing planned. I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, but anybody who’s been a fan of his journey, who loves Rick Grimes, who loves the world of The Walking Dead, you’re going to want to see what we do," said Kirkman.

Lincoln has been the lynchpin of the series since its beginning, and while his exit will undoubtedly be a blow for hardcore fans, the series looks set to shuffle on without him. The San Diego Comic Con panel for the show takes place this evening and will likely see the cast and producers of the show field questions on not only Lincoln's exit, but where the show can possibly go from here.

Have you still been watching the series? Will you continue to once Lincoln's gone? Let us know in the comments!