Why Did Kathy Griffin Quit ‘Fashion Police’? E! Releases Statement After Departure

After seven episodes on "Fashion Police," host Kathy Griffin announced her departure from the show on Thursday. Despite having just joined the series recently, the 54-year-old comedian revealed on Twitter that she was exiting due to "creative direction." Griffin, who signed on following the death of beloved host Joan Rivers, also cited her struggle to deal with “intolerance toward difference” as one of her main reasons for quitting.

"I discovered that my style does not fit with the creative direction of the show, and now it’s time to move on," she wrote in a message for fans. E! confirmed Griffin's departure and promised viewers the show will continue with hosts Giuliana Rancic and Brad Goreski working alongside Melissa Rivers, who serves as an executive producer for the show. “We can confirm that Kathy Griffin is leaving E!'s 'Fashion Police,'” the statement from the network read. “We wish her all the best and are grateful for her time on the show, as well as the many laughs she gave us all. No further information is available at this time.”

The news of Griffin's exit comes on the heels of Kelly Osbourne's departure over racist-sounding comments made by Rancic regarding 18-year-old Zendaya Coleman's dreadlocks at the 2015 Oscars. When asked by the Chicago Sun-Times' Splash if she felt it would have been as big a deal if she had said it, Griffin revealed that she "wouldn't have said the joke in the first place." The funny woman, who is known for her off-the-cuff jokes, explained that she'd never deliver a joke she didn't write herself.

"Don’t have anyone write your jokes or even suggest jokes for you on 'Fashion Police,'" she said. "[Rancic has] enough great insider gossip from actually being on the red carpet. That’s what fans want to hear the next day. Just talk and be yourself."

After hearing the news, “Girls” star Lena Dunham shared a post on Instagram, praising Griffin's decision. Dunham, who is an outspoken advocate for numerous social issues, congratulated the comedian on “saying enough is enough to intolerance.” The post was accompanied by a black and white photo of Griffin wearing Minnie Mouse ears.

“Congrats to my beautiful friend Kathy Griffin for bravely saying enough is enough to intolerance of all kinds on television,” her caption read. “She's modeling a better way for the youths (and working those ears).”

The network must now scramble to find replacements for both Griffin and Osbourne. It has been rumored that stars like Chrissy Teigen, Khloé Kardashian, Amber Rose and NeNe Leakes are being considered. E! Has not yet come to a decision.

Read Kathy Griffin's full statement below: