One Tree Hill Star Says He Was Blindsided By His Character's Death

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One Tree Hill star Craig Sheffer reveals the circumstances that led up to his abrupt exit from the show in season 3. The long-running drama, which was created by Mark Schwahn, ran until season 9 after premiering on The WB (which then became The CW) in 2003. One Tree Hill follows brothers Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan Scott (James Lafferty) through the drama surrounding their local basketball team, as well as their romances and general high school issues in the town of Tree Hill, North Carolina.

Sheffer played a character called Keith Scott, who was introduced in One Tree Hill episode 1. Keith was the older brother of Lucas and Nathan's father, Dan (Paul Johansson), who in the first episode helps Lucas get on the basketball team. In a shocking twist, Dan shoots Keith in season 3 when he suspects him of starting a fire at his car dealership. The character appeared on two episodes of season 4 as a ghost, and then in an episode of One Tree Hill season 9 in a bizarre moment that takes Dan to the afterlife after he himself is shot dead.

Related: One Tree Hill: Why Chad Michael Murray Left In Season 6

During an interview on the Drama Queens podcast, a One Tree Hill re-watch podcast hosted by stars Bethany Joy Lenz, Hilarie Burton, and Sophia Bush, Sheffer revealed the events that led up to him leaving the show. He was absent for the final six episodes of season 2 because he was shooting a movie that he had financed himself, but was reassured by Schwahn that, "As long as the show runs, you’re gonna be on it. You’re the character I based on my brother." However, Sheffer says he received a call shortly before One Tree Hill season 3 began filming in which he was informed of his character's fate, causing Sheffer to complain