George Segal’s Last ‘Goldbergs’ Episode Will Air Soon With Special Tribute

As Hollywood mourns the death of Oscar-nominated actor George Segal, fans of ABC’s The Goldbergs are preparing to say goodbye to his beloved character, Albert “Pops” Solomon. Segal has starred as the beloved family patriarch for eight years, with his final episode of the series set to act as one of his final on-screen appearances before his death at the age of 87.

According to Deadline, Segal’s final episode will be Season 8, Episode 16, “Couple Off.” The episode was filmed before Segal’s Monday death, which his wife, Sonia Segal, said was due to bypass surgery complications. The episode will air on Wednesday, April 7, with an official synopsis from ABC reading, “When Barry and Joanne crash Erica and Geoff’s peaceful weekend camping trip, they end up in a competition to see who is the better couple, causing some unexpected shifts in relationships. After learning that Brea thinks Adam has an easy, privileged life, Adam seeks to prove her wrong by getting a job but quickly learns she might be right.” The series, on which Segal starred since 2013, is also expected to pay tribute to the late actor on-air, though details of the tribute have not yet been revealed. It is also unclear if the series will pay homage to Segal during Wednesday night’s all-new episode.

After news of his passing broke Monday evening, ABC, in a statement, said, “for eight years, George Segal made us laugh as Pops on ‘The Goldbergs,’ but his legacy in the entertainment world spans decades.” The statement added that Segal’s “talent has left an indelible mark and we’re grateful for the laughter and joy he has given us all.” ABC also sent their “thoughts and deepest condolences” to Segal’s family. In a separate statement to PEOPLE, the cast and crew of The Goldbergs said they are “devastated” by the actor’s loss and remembered him as “kind, sweet, beyond talented and funny” and “the true epitome of class.” They called it “an honor and a privilege” to have worked so closely with him over the past years, adding that “he will be missed by all. POPS, we will miss your banjo playing and your infectious laugh.”

In the wake of his death, many of his co-stars have also taken to social media to pay tribute, with his onscreen granddaughter, Hayley Orrantia, writing that she is “having a hard time believing that he is really gone.” The Goldbergs creator Adam F. Goldberg, whose life the sitcom is loosely based on, wrote that it “was a true honor being a small part of George Segal’s amazing legacy.”

Along with The Goldbergs, Segal was also well known for starring in the 1966 film Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? a performance that earned him an Oscar nomination. His other credits include Ship of Fools, Where’s Poppa?, Blume in Love, For the Boys, and King Rat, among many others. His final episode of The Goldbergs will air on Wednesday, April 7.