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Modern Family fans upset over ‘significant’ character death: 'We were clickbaited'

The death has been described as 'an event that has repercussions across several episodes'

Jacob Stolworthy
Thursday 25 October 2018 06:12 EDT
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(20th Television)

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Modern Family fans have finally found out which leading character dies this season.

Viewers have been wondering which character would perish in the long-running ABC sitcom ever since co-creator Christopher Lloyd teased a significant death back in September – however, many were left underwhelmed to learn it wasn’t any of the main ensemble cast.

*Spoilers for Modern Family follow – you have been warned*

It was DeDe Pritchett, the ex-wife of Jay (Ed O’Neill) and mother to Claire (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), who died, bringing Shelley Long’s time on the series to an end. She appeared a total of six times throughout its past ten seasons.

Her death occurred off-screen as it was revealed DeDe had died peacefully in her sleep while on a trip with her women’s group.

While her death has been described by Lloyd as “an event that has repercussions across several episodes,” fans were left feeling short-changed, expressing their disappointment on Twitter.

Modern Family – which began in 2009 – follows the stories of different members of the Pritchett family including Jay, wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara), daughter Claire, son Mitchell and sons-in-law Phil (Ty Burrell) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet).

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The series is expected to end with its 11th run in 2020.

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