‘The Simpsons’ Showrunner Al Jean Responds to Claims Fox Sitcom Is Ending After Season 31

After legendary composer Danny Elfman revealed that The Simpsons, might be ending after Season 31 in an interview with Irish publication Joe, showrunner Al Jean is setting the record straight and assuring fans there is nothing to worry about. In a new interview with the writer and executive producer of the longest-running animated show on television, Jean admitted that there are “no plans” to bid farewell to Springfield just yet.

In an interview with Metro, Jean revealed that there were certainly plans to go beyond Season 31 on Fox, much opposed to Elfman’s comments that differ otherwise. “No disrespect to Mr. Elfman, but we are producing season 32 starting next year and have no plans to end after that,” Jean explained.

He also took to his official Twitter account on Friday to reveal the family of five and their town of eclectic characters were still in fact staying put at Fox, with a new episode airing on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Jean, who has been part of notable and pop culture series since 1992, went on to become showrunner in 2001. He also helmed The Simpsons Movie and catapulted the series to new heights with its acclaim and relevant humor.

In what caused panic among fans on social media last week, Elfman shared with Joe that he had heard the show had no plans to continue after its current season, something that create a vibrant discussion on social media among fans.

“Well, from what I’ve heard, it is coming to an end,” he told Joe, adding: “I don’t know for a fact, but I’ve heard that it will be in its last year.”

Speaking about the animated series’ legacy, Elfman went on to add that he was “amazed” it has lasted this long. “You have to realize, when I scored The Simpsons, I wrote this crazy piece of music, and I expected no one would hear it, because I really did not think the show had a chance in hell.”

Elfman went on to call the show’s success “one of the truly big surprises” of his life.

The show, which is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture and society, television, and the human condition, made its debut on Dec. 17, 1989 and has gone on to become a cultural landmark in the years since. TIME named the series one of the 20th century’s best television series of all time, with The A.V. Club touting it TV’s “crowning achievement regardless of format.”

Photo credit: FOX / 20th Century Fox