Nina Dobrev left The Vampire Diaries in season 6. She announced her departure in an Instagram post in April 2015, stating that she always knew she wanted Elenas story to be a six-season adventure. She had signed a six-year contract when the show began, so she knew she would be leaving after season 6. Dobrevs departure was not sudden, and she had been planning it for some time. Despite her departure, Elena loomed over the remainder of the show, and Dobrev returned for the series finale in 2017.