More than three decades after Brenda Walsh left Beverly Hills, Jason Priestley is offering a fresh perspective on Shannen Doherty’s firing from the series that made them famous. In a recent podcast appearance, Priestley suggested that the outcome might have been different if Doherty had been more transparent about the turmoil in her personal life during her final season on Beverly Hills, 90210.
A Difficult Decision Revisited
Speaking on Pete Ferriero’s The Slice of Life Show podcast, Priestley, who played Brandon Walsh, addressed the question of whether letting Doherty go was the right call. He called it a hard question to answer, then explained that with the information available at the time, the show’s team felt it had no alternative.
Priestley emphasized that Doherty’s behavior was seen as disruptive, but he also made clear that his personal relationship with her was never the problem. He described loving her as a scene partner and actress, and said his memories of working with her are entirely positive.
What Might Have Changed the Outcome
The actor, now 57, theorized that if Doherty had been more forthcoming about what she was dealing with privately, the producers might have chosen a different path. His comments point to a gap between what the cast and crew understood at the time and the reality Doherty later described.
Priestley also recalled how unsettling Doherty’s departure was for everyone involved. He referred to her as a key ingredient in the show’s success and said losing her was scary not only for her career but for the series itself. The decision, he insisted, was not made lightly.
Doherty's Own Account
Doherty, who died in July 2024 at 53 after a long battle with stage 4 cancer, previously discussed her exit on her own podcast, Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, with Priestley as a guest. She revealed that her marriage to Ashley Hamilton at the time contributed to her unprofessional conduct on set and played a part in her firing.
She described being in a horrible marriage during her last season, with events in that relationship making it hard to consistently arrive at work on time. Her father was also seriously ill, and she said Hamilton’s struggle with drug addiction consumed her attention. She recalled not even wanting to leave the house out of fear that he would seek drugs.
Doherty said she wished someone had sat her down and told her to get herself together before the decision was made, though she also acknowledged she could have been more transparent about her circumstances.
A Lasting Legacy
Doherty played Brenda Walsh, twin sister to Priestley’s Brandon, and left the series at the end of its fourth season. The show continued for ten seasons in total. After her death, Priestley paid tribute on Instagram, calling her a force of nature and sending love to her family.
More recently, Priestley has also spoken about his own departure from the series, revealing that he once asked executive producer Aaron Spelling to end the show while it was still on top. He left at the beginning of Season 9, before the final season.
