Why Did Brian Van Holt Leave Cougar Town?
The real reason for the actor’s departure is way simpler than you think.
The Courtney Cox-led 2009 sitcom Cougar Town wasn’t a real blast back in the day, and one major exit probably gave the show a big push towards its eventual ending in 2015. Ahead of the series’ final season premiere, the news broke about Brian Van Holt’s departure after years spent on Cougar Town ever since its episode 1.
However, the actor’s decision to wrap it all up with the show right before its finale was never a mystery, and Van Holt’s further career credits prove that the right reasons were always there.
In Cougar Town, Van Holt portrayed Courtney Cox’s on-screen ex-husband Bobby Cobb. A professional golfer in the past, Bobby significantly downgraded his quality of life by the time the show picks the storyline up, catching him as a basically homeless person living on a boat in a parking lot after getting divorced with Cox’s Jules.
Van Holt’s departure from the series is justified when it’s revealed that Bobby suddenly got a lucky chance to land a position at a golf course in Georgia.
Ironically, the plot twist somehow draws some kind of parallel between the actor and his character since the former also had a reason to strive for more opportunities back then.
As The Hollywood Reporter shared in 2014, Van Holt’s decision to leave Cougar Town behind was essentially connected to his desire to pursue more career opportunities in cinema and on TV.
As expected, the actor later on took up other different roles, showing up in several episodes of CSI, The Bridge, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Ascension.
In 2020, Van Holt landed a leading role in a procedural drama Deputy, but the show had no luck with the audience and was ultimately canceled after only one season.