More Details On Erinn Hayes, The Cast Member Leaving ‘Kevin Can Wait’

Newly surfaced details on the cause of Erinn Hayes’ exit from the hit TV show Kevin Can Wait aren’t just curious, they’re downright confusing.

When word came out that Leah Remini would be reuniting with Kevin James and officially joining the cast of Kevin Can Wait as a series regular, fans were ecstatic.

Then news came that Erinn Hayes who played James’ wife on the series, was being let go from the show, and fans were surprised. Well, as it turns out, the two are mutually conclusive.

Decider reports that it’s been announced Remini will actually be joining the show replacing Hayes in the spouse role.

At this time there are no further details, but when Remini guest-starred in the two-part season one finale this year she was playing a completely different character, so the only people now who know what the plan is for season two are the writers and producers.

Of course, it’s not uncommon for sitcoms to recast roles after pilots or first seasons, but to recast with an actor who already enjoyed a high-profile return in a separate role seems somewhat unprecedented.

The whole thing feels like a bit of a creative mess right now, and the only real reason given for Hayes’ firing is that the show is going in “another creative direction.”

Up Next: Erinn Hayes Exits ‘Kevin Can Wait’ Heading Into Season 2

Still, though, this is definitely good news for fans who’ve longed to see James and Remini reunite since their days on The King of Queens.

That series ran for nine seasons on CBS and made both Remini and James household names.

When the show ended, James went on to dominate the movie box-office, co-starring with pal Adam Sandler in several flicks, as well as starring in many of his own, before landing on Kevin Can Wait.

Remini, however, suffered a few failed/short-lived projects, joined the cast of The Talk, and then had a very public falling out with the Church of Scientology, of which she’d been a dedicated member for most of her life.

After speaking out and crusading against Scientology in interviews, Remini took her cause to another level. She wrote a memoir titled Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology and then created the mini-series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath for A&E.

More: Leah Remini Joins ‘Kevin Can Wait’ Season 2 As Series Regular

Interestingly, Kevin Can Wait airs in the exact same time slot as King of Queens did. It also ranked as the season’s No. 1 new sitcom in total number viewers (9.19 million) and adults 18-49 (2.1 rating). Adding Remini to the mix is sure to boost those numbers for season two.