Entertainment

‘Heartland’: Why Graham Wardle Decided to Stop Playing Ty Borden

Graham Wardle decided to leave the CBC show 'Heartland' and gave an email statement to The Canadian Press explaining his decision.

by Eryn Murphy

Published on June 5, 2022

2 min read

Ty died in season 14 of ‘Heartland’

In season 1 of Heartland, Ty begins a job as a ranch hand at Heartland Ranch. He then goes on to become a veterinarian.

Graham’s character was perhaps most well-known as the primary love interest of Amy Fleming (Amber Marshall), the show’s main character. Amy and Ty marry and have a daughter named Lyndy.

At the end of the show’s 13th season, both Ty and Amy are accidentally shot, but the two appear to make a full recovery. In the first episode of Season 14 of Heartland, Ty collapses and suddenly dies in front of Amy, her grandpa Jack (Shaun Johnson), and Lyndy.

It is explained that Ty died from complications from his gunshot wound and deep vein thrombosis. Over the course of season 14 and season 15 of Heartland, Amy processes her grief and tries to move on from Ty’s death.

Why Graham Wardle decided to leave the TV show

After season 14 of Heartland premiered, The Chronicle Journal shared an email statement from Wardle explaining his exit from the show.

According to The Chronicle Journal, Wardle gave an email statement to The Canadian Press, saying:

“I felt in my heart it was time to move in a new direction… I now host the ‘Time Has Come’ podcast, and there will be a future episode coming out where I plan to share much more about my decision and my appreciation for the 14 years I’ve spent on ‘Heartland.'”

Amber Marshall supported Graham Wardle leaving the ‘Heartland’ cast

Over the years, Wardle’s screentime on Heartland gradually decreased until his character completely left the show.

“Graham, for the last several years, he’s been going in different directions, working on different projects, and he’d spoke with us openly quite a few times,” Marshall told The Chronicle Journal.

The actor continued, “Of course, we’re a very supportive group of people. We care about each other very much, we have been working together for over a decade. So I guess the next step was, ‘How do we do this and honour that character the best way we can?'”

Marshall also shared with The Chronicle Journal her hopes for exploring Amy’s journey as a widow.

“I actually have a close friend that was widowed and her journey was heartbreaking, but it was a real story, it was a real journey,” Marshall told The Chronicle Journal. “And I think this story, even though it’s going to be heartbreaking, there is that moment of strength and growth and light out of it.”