This week the CW officially renewed One Tree Hill for season 7, but immediately rumors started that stars Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton would not be returning for another year. Yesterday on the website for her production company Southern Gothic, Burton posted a video that essentially confirms those rumors (Watch Hilarie Burton's video here.).

In the two-minute video, Burton never explicitly says she’s leaving the show, but references to how excited she is for everyone that it was renewed clearly suggest that Burton won’t be back after the end of season 6.

The actress repeatedly talks about her joy that One Tree Hill was renewed and that it means the crew will continue working for another year. However, she talks about the cast and crew of One Tree Hill in the third person, not including herself.

However, Burton does state that she loves One Tree Hill and the character of Peyton Sawyer, especially the scenes of her crying. She also urges fans to stick around for next season.

This is the first sign that the rumors are most likely true and One Tree Hill season 7 will not include Peyton and Lucas. This adds even more weight to these final upcoming episodes of season 6, as they could mark the end of the Lucas and Peyton love story. Will it end happily ever after with a wedding and a birth?

New episodes of One Tree Hill return Monday, March 16 at 9pm on the CW.


-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: Southern Gothic Productions
(Image courtesy of the CW)