Why Suzanne Somers Left Three’s Company — And Who Replaced Her
The entertainment world mourned the loss of beloved actress Suzanne Somers when she passed away on October 15, 2023, at the age of 76, after a long battle with breast cancer. Best known for her iconic role as the bubbly and lovable Chrissy Snow on the hit sitcom Three’s Company, Somers became a household name in the late 1970s. But while her performance won hearts, her time on the show was also marked by controversy behind the scenes.
A Sudden Departure from Sitcom Stardom
Three’s Company aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984 and quickly became one of the network’s most successful sitcoms. However, Somers exited the show midway through Season 5 — a departure that caught fans by surprise. At the heart of her exit was a contract dispute that would later ignite a broader conversation around pay equity in Hollywood.
In a 2020 interview with People, Somers opened up about the situation, explaining that she had asked for a salary increase to match that of her co-star John Ritter, who was reportedly earning $150,000 per episode at the time. Somers — then a single mother — believed she deserved equal compensation. However, the network disagreed.
Producer Tom Bergman later confirmed that Somers requested parity with Ritter and that meeting her demand would have also triggered a pay increase for him. After her request was denied, Somers reportedly missed several filming days. While the producers couldn’t fire her outright due to contractual limitations, they effectively wrote her out of the series. Chrissy Snow was said to be caring for her ill mother, and Somers’ appearances were limited to brief phone call segments filmed separately from the rest of the cast.
Who Stepped In as the Third Roommate?
With Chrissy Snow gone, the dynamic trio of Jack Tripper (John Ritter) and Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) needed a new roommate to maintain the show’s signature setup. Enter Jenilee Harrison, who was cast as Cindy Snow, Chrissy’s clumsy but sweet cousin. Harrison remained for the remainder of Season 5.
However, the character of Cindy didn’t last long. By Season 6, Priscilla Barnes joined the cast as Terri Alden, a smart and grounded nurse who became the permanent third roommate. Interestingly, Barnes later revealed in an interview with Antenna TV that she had never seen an episode of Three’s Company before joining the show.
Life After Three’s Company
Though her run on Three’s Company ended abruptly, Suzanne Somers’ career was far from over. In the 1990s, she reinvented herself as a fitness icon, becoming the face of the wildly popular ThighMaster. Around the same time, she returned to television in the family sitcom Step by Step, which ran for seven seasons and became a staple of ABC’s “TGIF” lineup.
In the years that followed, Somers hosted several talk shows, including The Suzanne Show on Lifetime and a web series called Breaking Through. She even turned down an opportunity to join The View, opting instead to focus on her own projects. Breaking Through also served as the platform for an emotional reunion between Somers and her former co-star Joyce DeWitt — more than three decades after their falling out. Somers also shared that she had reconciled with John Ritter before his untimely death in 2003.
A Legacy That Lives On
After her passing, tributes poured in from fans and celebrities alike, with stars like Fran Drescher and Khloé Kardashian honoring her memory. Though her exit from Three’s Company was fraught with tension, Suzanne Somers’ charm, talent, and trailblazing spirit left an undeniable mark on television history. She will always be remembered not just as Chrissy Snow, but as a fearless performer who stood up for what she believed in — and paid the price for it.
