Richard Burgi Explains Sudden Exit from The Young and the Restless

Richard Burgi is setting the record straight on his exit from the CBS daytime soap, The Young & the Restless.

The star shocked fans everywhere when he revealed he would be exiting the show as Ashland Rock.

“I’m here in Southern California and I hope wherever you are you are having a good one,” Richard Burgi shared on Instagram.

“I was just about to take a swim in the ocean and I looked something up on Google and I found an article about me getting released by the show by the writers."

The actor went on to say that he violated the show's COVID policy.

“I just want to set the record straight,” he shared.

“My wife had said something about [my exit] being the show’s choice, which is true, but the reality is I naively and inadvertently violated the show’s COVID policy."

“I was back east over Christmas and tested positive somewhere around Christmas [and was] at my niece’s house and visiting my 97-year-old mom,” Burgi explains of what went down.

“I took the necessary five days [quarantine] that the CDC recommended.”

The star said he tested negatively at the studio twice and showed up to continue work on the show.

However, the CBS series employs strict protocols that call for 10-day isolation, with the star saying "I inadvertently violated the show’s COVID rules and protocols. I feel terrible about it. I still do. It bothers me mightily but it is what it is.”

Burgi has nothing but gratitude for his time on the show and wished Robert Newman, who is replacing him on the show, well.

“I respect the show’s decision,” he adds.

“They’re doing the best they can. We all are."

“I truly wish the gentleman coming in to play Ashland a wonderful time. He’s going to be working with the most incredible actress and a great, great cast."