William Peterson who plays Gil Grissom is planning to leave CSI. In a recent interview, the CSI actor talks about why he was planning to leave and whats holding him back.

“It’s hard to play the same character all the time; at some point you want to be released from that,” Petersen told the Radio Times. “I understood that going into CSI to a certain degree, but you don’t know how long it’s going to last. I think the time is coming when it will be the right choice for Grissom and the audience for me to do something else. I sort of know when, but it’s between me and the producers.”

But something is holding him back.

“[My family never makes] any money and they work long hours, and I’ve asked my dad and brother over the years, ‘Why don’t you sell up and retire?’ But they say it’s because it gives livelihoods to 20 people. I was always impressed by that. On CSI we give work to 200 people and I feel a real obligation to them. I believe acting is just what I do for work.”

William also talked about the other CSI franchise, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY.

“I still think that the other shows could have been done in a more interesting way. I think they just rubber-stamped them and stuck more of them out there,” the actor, who hasn’t been shy in the past about being critical of the rest of the CSI franchise, said. “CSI: Miami does 24 shows a year, CSI: NY does 24; everyone gets tired. There’s a whole lot of stories we can’t do because of the other shows, and that’s a problem.”

CSI is a great show. It’s now in its 8th season, yet their fan base is still going stronger. It would be sad if William leaves but I think it’s time for CSI to step down. Go now while your still at the top.