'One Tree Hill:' Hilarie Burton Clarifies Chad Michael Murray's Role In Her Exit From The Show

“One Tree Hill” star Hilarie Burton has set the record straight about Chad Michael Murray’s alleged role in her exit from the show. Both Burton and Murray left the show at the end of season six in 2009.

Rumors about Murray being the cause of Burton’s shocking “One Tree Hill” exit resurfaced following the actress’s statement on the latest episode of her “Drama Queens” podcast, in which she described her departure as “unceremonious.” Following the podcast, one fan took to Twitter to place the blame on Murray.

“@HilarieBurton said that her departure was unceremonious and we can blame that on Chad tbh at least the Chad from back then,” wrote the fan. “I’m assuming and hope he’s grown up now but wtf.”

Burton immediately replied to the tweet, saying, “I’m not sure where your info is coming from, but Chad had nothing to do with my leaving.” She also clarified that Murray was an ally, contrary to what others speculate.

“We were both treated badly, and he defended me. I so appreciate your support, but I just wanted to clarify that Chad was my teammate. My bosses were the s-s,” she wrote.

The fan tweeted back, telling Burton that there was some “misinformation” about the situation. Burton then responded again to the tweet, saying, “Babe, no worries. I’ve heard that rumor so many times over the years. I just correct it because I care about our OTH fam and don’t want anyone carrying around false baggage. Thank you for caring!! Xo.”

The drama TV series followed a group of friends in Tree Hill, North Carolina, and also starred James Lafferty, Sophia Bush, and Bethany Joy Lenz.

Burton played Peyton Sawyer in the series for six consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2009. She played alongside Murray, who played Lucas Scott and also left in 2009.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly following their exit, Burton said their decision to leave the show was not a rash one. “Chad and I are good friends,” she said. “I won’t speak for him, but it was not a rash decision on either of our parts. He’s very compassionate toward the show and the fans. It’s not an easy decision, but we’ve got to be grown-ups sometimes,” she had added.

“One Tree Hill” concluded after a nine-season run in 2012.