Why did Glenn Howerton almost leave It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia post-Season 11? Star reveals the actual reason 

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia almost lost one of its main and important cast members after its eleventh season, and fans have no idea they almost managed to dodge the bullet.

Glenn Howerton, who co-created the show and plays Dennis Reynolds, revealed that he felt trapped in terms of creativity, and he worried that the show had already hit its peak.

The star opened up about the same during the 20th anniversary celebration of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia that his wanting to exit wasn't about jumping onto another project, but about questioning if he should continue the show at all.

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Glenn Howerton opens up about doubts, pressure, and almost walking away from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

For a show that's celebrated 20 years, there's bound to be a rocky road behind the scenes. Glenn Howerton recently spoke about how he once actually considered stepping away from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia after Season 11.

As per a report by ScreenRant, speaking during a cast panel at the Paley Center, Howerton talked about his previous concerns about the show dragging on for too long.

He said,

"I wanted to quit, but it wasn't because I had other things going on..."

He clarified the floating misconceptions regarding his reasoning for quitting.

"There's a misconception that I went off to do A.P. Bio or something. I just didn't want to wear out our welcome."

At the time, Howerton wasn't sure how to branch out creatively while still being tied to the same project. He admitted:

"I was aching to do other things and so I was starting to feel a little boxed in, frankly."

Though he made it clear his love for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia never went away, the idea of overstaying is what made him anxious.

However, co-creators Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day weren't ready to say goodbye to Howerton's character.

They wanted to keep going, and when Howerton witnessed their dedication, he knew he couldn't stop them even if he stepped aside. That decision led to his absence from the writers' room during Seasons 13 and 14 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, though he still appeared on screen.

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Why Dennis never really left and how the show kept going?

While fans were left wondering about Dennis' sudden departure in the Season 12 finale, behind the scenes, the creators had a plan. McElhenney said,

"We just kept writing it and kept writing him in it, and we're like, he's just gonna eventually say he's coming back. That's what happened."

And he was right. Howerton admitted that even from a distance, he couldn't stay disconnected. According to Entertainment Weekly, he said,

"I was like finding myself just having a lot of opinions about the episodes.... and I just was like, 'Oh, I think I need to get in there and get my hands dirty again...''

He also acknowledged how important each member of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is to the show's success.

"If any one of us left, it would just f*** with the dynamic...It's like a fine-tuned machine... you need all the components for it to work."

Even while pursuing other creative ventures like AP Bio, Howerton felt the pull of Sunny. McElhenney referred to it as "the gravity of Sunny," and it eventually brought him back. Despite the break from writing, his return as Dennis kept the show's chemistry intact.

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Glenn Howerton's almost exit from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia wasn't about walking away; it was about preserving the magic of the show. His honesty reveals just how much the team cares about the integrity of the show.

And now, with Season 17 and beyond in motion, that same drive continues to keep the gang together.

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