‘Kevin Can Wait’ Season 2 Spoilers: Erinn Hayes’ Donna Gable Will Die

“Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 will soon reveal that Donna Gable (Erinn Hayes) has died.

While at the Television Critics Association summer press tour for CBS, senior executive vice president of programming Thom Sherman was asked to explain how Hayes’ departure from “Kevin Can Wait” will be written into the sitcom. “The character will have passed away,” he said.

Sherman added that Season 2 will open with a slight time jump, but Kevin and Donna’s daughter, Kendra (Taylor Spreitler), will still be in the planning stages of her wedding.

Read: Erinn Hayes cast in “The Dangerous Book for Boys” after “Kevin Can Wait” exit

But as shocking as their decision to kill off Donna, CBS entertainment president Kelly Kahl said that the character’s demise will be addressed tastefully and with dignity and respect. Kahl also commended Hayes for being such a good actress, but admitted that seeing Kevin James with Leah Remini in Season 1 was something they just couldn’t let go of.

“When everybody collectively saw Leah and Kevin worked together in those last couple of episodes, there was just an undeniable spark there. Kevin, the studio and the network wanted to keep that magic and chemistry going forward,” he said.

In June, it was announced by CBS that they have decided to ask Remini to reprise her role, Vanessa, as a series regular for Season 2. A day later, Hayes confirmed on Twitter that CBS has let go of her. For the past couple of weeks, there have been talks on how Donna’s departure will be addressed in the upcoming episodes.

Last month, a source told TV Line that “Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 will head to a new creative direction. However, “Kevin Can Wait” will not turn into “The Kings of Queens” as per ongoing speculations. “No, I don’t think so. I think the show speaks for itself and stands for itself. Obviously, the chemistry between James and Remini was amazing in the stunt episodes,” Sherman said.

In Season 1, retired cop Kevin returned to the force as part of an ongoing undercover operation with his former partner, Vanessa. After the case was closed, Kevin came home to his wife and learned that Donna has quit her job as a school nurse.

“Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 will premiere on CBS on Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. EST.