E! News has confirmed that Yvette Nicole Brown, the actress who plays the sweet and kind mom Shirley, will not be returning for the fifth season of the NBC comedy series, "Community".

Brown approached Sony and asked to be released from her contract due to personal reasons. The show's executive producers Dan Harmon and Chris McKenna understood her decision to leave and accepted her resignation.

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Brown is the third member to have left the cast, alongside veteran comedian Chevy Chase and, actor-singer Donald Glover.

The actress is leaving the show because she wants to attend to the needs of her ailing father.

In an interview with TV Guide, the actress shared, "My dad needs daily care and he needs me. The idea of being away 16 hours a day for five months, I couldn't do it. It was a difficult decision for me to make, but I had to choose my dad."  

In a joint statement released to the press, Harmon and McKenna shared that they understood completely Brown's decision to leave. They shared that Brown was integral to the show and that she will surely be missed by the cast, crew and fans. They referred to the actress as "irreplaceable" and that everyone in the team was sad to see her leave.

Although Brown has decided to make an exit, she left on very good terms with the network and, management has been noted as saying that if she does want to come back as a guest in the show, she will always be welcomed with open arms.

Brown shared that it won't be difficult to create a storyline to why her character Shirley would have to leave, considering that she has a family, a degree and a business.

Following news of her departure, the actress took to Twitter to thank her colleagues and fans.