Anna Faris leaving ‘Mom’ sitcom for ‘new opportunities’

The mother-daughter team at the center of popular CBS’ comedy “Mom” is losing its junior member: Anna Faris won’t return this fall for Season 8 of the Chuck Lorre sitcom.

Faris won’t appear in the upcoming season, which is scheduled to return to production later this month. But the absence of her character, aspiring lawyer Christy, will be explained in the season premiere.

Faris issued a statement expressing her departure: “The past seven years on ‘Mom’ have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career. I’m so thankful to Chuck, the writers, and my amazing castmates for creating a truly wonderful work experience. While my journey as Christy has come to an end, allowing me to pursue new opportunities, I’ll be watching next season and rooting for my TV family.”

CBS, Lorre and Warner Bros., which produces the series, thanked Faris in a joint statement: “From the inception of Mom, Anna was the first and only choice for the role of Christy. We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell during Anna’s seven years with us. We wish Anna all the best, and we thank her for her beautiful portrayal.”

In “Mom,” Christy and Bonnie (Allison Janney) are recovering alcoholics on an ongoing path to mend a relationship that was severely damaged by Bonnie’s irresponsible behavior when Christy was growing up.

Over the years, the show, which initially spent significant time at the restaurant where Christy worked, has evolved into the story of a group of female friends who attend the same recovery meetings, sharing each other’s triumphs and helping them cope with setbacks.

Mimi Kennedy, Jaime Pressly, Beth Hall and Kristen Johnston play the members of that group and William Fichtner plays Bonnie’s husband, Adam.