Producer Sorkin Leaving NBC's 'The West Wing'

[Brett Ferino]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Aaron Sorkin, creator of the hit NBC political drama "The West Wing" will step down as executive producer of the award-winning series this month at the end of the show's turbulent fourth season, the network and producers said on Thursday.

While the announcement came as a surprise to some, Sorkin foreshadowed his own departure last spring when he said during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show that the current season of "West Wing" would probably be his last.

"He clearly had it in the back of his mind that he would do the show for so many seasons and would step away at some point," one network insider said, adding that Sorkin was leaving the show on "wonderful terms."

But his exit comes weeks after reports of friction between Sorkin and Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind the show, over cost overruns related to missed script deadlines as the show slipped in the ratings.

Some critics also complained this season that the drama became too bogged down in political ideology and drawn-out story lines while facing tough competition from popular reality shows such as ABC's "The Bachelor."

Departing with Sorkin will be fellow executive producer Thomas Schlamme, who directed the series pilot and other episodes and also has worked as a director on such programs as "Ally McBeal," "The Practice" and "Spin City."

A third executive producer, John Wells, whose company co-produces "West Wing" with Warner Bros., will step in for Sorkin to take the creative helm of the show.

Both Sorkin and Schlamme, who co-created the ABC comedy "Sports Night," have development deals with Warner Bros.

AWARDS GALORE

"This has been the experience of any writer's dream," Sorkin, 41, said in a statement. "I had the best job in show business for four years and I'll never forget that."

NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker and Warner Bros. TV President Peter Roth saluted Sorkin and Schlamme "for creating one of the finest shows to ever air on television."

"The West Wing," which stars Martin Sheen as U.S. President Josiah Bartlet and portrays the political and personal intrigues of his fictional administration, has earned Sorkin and his creative team the Emmy Award for best drama series for three straight years.

Schlamme twice received the Directors Guild Award plus two Emmys for his work on the series, which also achieved the rare feat of winning the prestigious Peabody Award twice.

Earlier this season, "West Wing" stumbled in the ratings while some critics saw the show as hitting a creative rut, but the series has recovered a bit with a new story arc featuring "Friends" co-star Matthew Perry as a White House counsel.

Earlier this season, co-star Rob Lowe left the series in a salary dispute with producers.

In January, NBC reached a renewal deal with Warner Bros., a unit of AOL Time Warner Inc., to keep "West Wing" on the air for at least two more seasons. Sources said then the network, owned by General Electric Corp., would pay $5 million to $7 million per episode, depending on the show's ratings performance.

While "West Wing" remains one of the most prestigious in NBC's lineup, the drama has sunk to No. 23 in household ratings among all prime-time shows.

Late last year, Sorkin emerged from a personal ordeal, winning dismissal of drug possession charges against him after completing a court-ordered drug rehabilitation program.

Sorkin's previous writing credits include screenplays for the films "American President," "A Few Good Men" and "Malice."

ABC is owned by Walt Disney Co. .