Holly Marie Combs has spoken out after Charmed co-star Alyssa Milano denied she was behind Shannen Doherty being fired from the hit TV series.
Combs, 50, shared a lengthy statement on her Instagram page on Tuesday, with the hashtag “let’s be clear” and “sorry not sorry”.
“I feel the need to defend myself after the many continuing attacks that have ensued since Alyssa stepped out on the stage and essentially called Shannen and I liars when she was simply asked what it was like to work with Rose [McGowan],” she wrote in her post.
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“Suffice to say I’m a little shocked and a little disappointed especially by the things she posted the next day while texting me simultaneously words to the contrary. Sadly that’s not a [sic] surprising anymore,” she continued.
“But I was raised to be a fighter… First off this is not revisionist history. This is just the history she didn’t want people to know about. And the history Shannen wasn’t ready to talk about until one month ago.”
“Although I have long wanted the girls to just get along for the sake of something bigger than all of us, combined, it was not in the cards. Clearly. We are all very different and equally headstrong which was the essence of Charmed to begin with.”
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“I heard that Alyssa said she did not have the power to fire anyone which is ironic because this was actually all about power. But let’s go with that and let me explain what she did have the power to do.
“She had the power the stop the process at any time. She had the power to not talk to the mediator/therapist brought on to protect profits.”
“And when producers said ok we will let Shannen go Alyssa also had the power to say no I don’t want that. But she did not. She had the power to say no just as Shannen had said no I don’t want you to replace Alyssa when posed with the same option.
“Because she was a child actor who supported a family just as Alyssa does and understood the great importance and responsibility of that. Even now this pains me to write. It was heartbreaking then and still now.”
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She added that blame lies with “producers” as they “knew it was easier to keep us divided as opposed to united.”
“Three broken pieces were easier to control and manipulate than one united front.”
She went on to praise Rose McGowan and the Charmed fans, writing: ”Charmed was made for all of you and lastly the truth of the matter is we all are, despite our differences, incredibly grateful for this dysfunctional family in every way. The end.”
McGowan replied, writing in her comment: “Sometimes a mess has to be made for things to be cleared up… This for me is way bigger than a TV show, it goes to years of continuous behind the scenes character assassination and targeted reputation smearing because of narcissistic pathological jealousy… Truth is uncomfortable, but magic never dies.”
It comes after Milano broke her silence about her Charmed co-star Shannen Doherty‘s claims that Milano got her fired from the series.
Speaking to the crowd at a Charmed panel hosted by MegaCon Orlando, the actress addressed the long-running feud rumours.
“I will just say that I’m sad. I don’t think it’s really that I’m sad for me or for my life or how it does or does not affect my life,” said Milano.
“I’m the most sad for the fans. I am the most sad that a show that has meant so much to so many people has been tarnished by a toxicity that is still to this day almost a quarter of a century later still happening.”
“I’m sad that people can’t move past it, I’m sad that we all can’t just celebrate the success of a show that meant so much to all of us.”
It came in response to claims from her former costars Doherty and Holly Marie Combs that she gave the show’s producer, Jonathan Levin, an ultimatum.
Combs recounted the story he told her, revealing to Doherty on her Let’s Be Clear podcast in December 2023: “He said, you know, ‘We’re basically in a position where it’s one or the other. We were told [by Alyssa] that it’s [Shannen] or me, and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment.'”
Combs added that Milano “built a case for herself” by using a mediator on set to document every time she felt uncomfortable while filming.
Milano addressed this claim in an Instagram post, posted the day after her appearance at the panel.
“Everything was documented. There was a professional mediator (I was told Holly and Shannen would not participate in any mediation) and an on-set producer/babysitter who were both brought in to investigate all claims. It was then recommended by this mediator, after collecting testimony from cast AND crew—what changes should be made if the show was going to continue,” she claimed.
“The studio, Aaron Spelling, and network made the decision to protect the international hit that was Charmed. I did not have the power to get anyone fired. Once Shannen left we had 5 more successful seasons and I am forever grateful.
Doherty left the series after season 3 in 2001, stating that she had outgrown the show. Her character was killed off and she was replaced with Rose McGowan in another role after her departure.
The actress was more forthright about her reasoning during an interview with Entertainment Tonight later that year.
“There was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work. You know, I’m 30 years old and I don’t have time for drama in my life anymore,” she said.
“I want to work with actors who really, really care and that want to be there every single day,” she continued.
“I don’t want to work with people who b—h about their job and complain about it and say that they hate it or anything else.”