Mark Harmon, renowned for his portrayal of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, departed the series in 2021 after an impressive 18-year tenure. In a recent interview, Harmon candidly shared that the demanding nature of the role had taken its toll, stating, “I think for the longest time, I was just tired.” He elaborated on the grueling early years of production, mentioning, “The first day, we worked 22 hours. So I thought, ‘That’s not exactly what I thought this was going to be.’ But we had a lot of days like that in the first four years.”

While there has been speculation about his wife, actress Pam Dawber, influencing his decision to leave, there is no substantial evidence to support this claim. Harmon emphasized his desire to spend more time with his family, including Dawber and their children, as a significant factor in his departure. Executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson noted that Harmon “had just gotten to the place where he was getting close to turning 70, and he wanted to spend time with Pam and his kids.”

Therefore, while Dawber’s presence in his life may have contributed to his decision, there is no direct statement from her regarding the reasons behind Harmon’s exit from NCIS.