‘The Flash,’ ‘Legends Of Tomorrow’ Star Keiynan Lonsdale Explains Arrowverse Exit

A day after it was reported that Keiynan Lonsdale won’t be returning as a series regular for “The Flash” and “Legends of Tomorrow” next TV season, the actor took to Instagram to explain what it really means and reveal what made him step back a little bit from appearing on The CW’s Arrowverse.

“Yo! Soo as a lot of you have now read, I’m not returning next season as a series regular for @cwtheflash or @cw_legendsoftomorrow,” wrote Lonsdale, who plays Wally West, aka Kid Flash. “[But] it’s definitely not a total goodbye or ‘see ya never’ situation, cause Wally West will still be around when you need him the most! :) It’s just that it won’t be full time anymore.”

Lonsdale went on to reveal that his decision to not appear as a series regular on either show was largely influenced by his new perspective on life.

“I’ve changed a lot in the past year (as you’ve probably noticed lol), and for infinite reasons my perspective on life & what I want from it now is just completely different,” wrote the 26-year-old actor. “Because of that, my heart told me it was the right time to continue my journey on an unknown path, and I’m so damn grateful to both shows for honouring & respecting that with me.”

“I love Kid Flash, I love the family I’ve made, & I’m absolutely in love with the invaluable lessons I’ve learnt along the way,” the “Love, Simon” actor continued. “Thank you for believing in me & rooting for Wally to thrive, you honestly helped me see that i did indeed deserve to play him, & that shit right there made me a stronger actor. Anyway, I hope you stick around for the new adventures, the only thing I can promise is Magic.”

Meanwhile, Candice Patton, who plays Iris West on “The Flash,” recently expressed her sadness about Lonsdale’s decision to exit the series. “Still hard. love u,” Lonsdale’s onscreen sister tweeted in response to the actor’s lengthy post.

Lonsdale first appeared on “Legends of Tomorrow” for its Season 3 premiere, in which Kid Flash helped Nate (Nick Zano) fight crimes. Following his two-season stint on “The Flash,” the actor joined “Legends of Tomorrow” as a series regular midway through Season 3.

While it’s unclear how often viewers are going to see Kid Flash in Season 4 of “Legends of Tomorrow,” TVLine revealed that Lonsdale is already confirmed to be a part of the Season 5 premiere of “The Flash.”

“The Flash” Season 5 and “Legends of Tomorrow” Season 4 are set to premiere this fall on The CW.