Fans can’t bear to lose Andrew Lincoln on The Walking Dead Andrew Lincoln

Disappointed Walking Dead fans have started an online petition to try and keep Andrew Lincoln from leaving the show.

It was recently announced that Lincoln’s eight year run as protagonist Rick Grimes will end in season nine.

The 44-year-old actor first appeared on The Walking Dead back in 2010 and has since become a fan favourite.

In fact, some viewers were so upset with the announcement of his departure that they’ve launched a petition to try and persuade the producers to rethink their decision.

‘Sign this petition to encourage the creators behind the show and Lincoln himself to rethink the magnitude of the premature death of the character,’ the petition urges.

‘Andrew Lincoln has poured his heart and soul into the show and if he feels it’s time to bookend the characters story and have more time with his family, the creators behind the show should reconsider the timing of his departure and the effect his death will have on the shows overall arcs and other characters.’

Their reasoning seems to rest on the fact that ‘a large majority feel the character is what makes The Walking Dead what it is.’

In fact, many took to social media after the news broke and threatened to stop watching after Lincoln’s exit.