Hilarie Burton Responds to Rumor Chad Michael Murray Is to ‘Blame’ for One Tree Hill Exit

Being on “One Tree Hill” wasn’t always the most enjoyable ride for the women of the show, but Hilarie Burton swears Chad Michael Murray wasn’t part of the problem.

On Monday, Burton set one fan straight after they threw blame on Murray for Burton’s departure before Season 7. Murray left the same season and while he returned for an appearance in the final season, Burton did not. Since her exit came on the heels of Murray’s, some speculated the show didn’t want or need Peyton without Lucas.

“I know Chad is older now and has probably learned from his mistakes but he f—ed Hilarie Burton in the process for walking out,” one fan tweeted this week. “In addition to this, on the @DramaQueensOTH podcast last night, @HilarieBurton said that her departure was unceremonious and we can blame that on Chad tbh at least the Chad from back then. I’m assuming and hope he’s grown up now but wtf.”

Burton responded directly to the fan, telling them, “I’m not sure where your info is coming from, but Chad had nothing to do with my leaving.”

“We were both treated badly, and he defended me,” she continued. “I so appreciate your support, but I just wanted to clarify that Chad was my teammate. My bosses were the s—s.”

The show’s creator and showrunner Mark Schwahn has been accused of inappropriate behavior on-set from cast-members of both “One Tree Hill” and his more recent series “The Royals,” from which he was fired in 2017. Burton claimed Schwahn had forcibly kissed her and put his hands down her pants at a concert. Costar Danneel Ackles backed up her account, as others spoke out too.

When the fan replied saying they had clearly “read some misinformation” about what went down, Burton added, “Babe, no worries. I’ve heard that rumor so many times over the years. I just correct it because I care about our OTH fam and don’t want anyone carrying around false baggage. Thank you for caring!! Xo.”

When the last episode aired back in 2009, she told Entertainment Weekly that her exit had nothing to do with money or her being “high maintenance” and it was a mutual decision between her and the crew. She also played down any drama with Murray.

In her book “The Rural Diaries,” Burton said she was “feeling a bit lost” and “miserable” at the time she left the show. “It was time to make a change, so I left ‘One Tree Hill,’” she wrote. “I’d always wanted to travel and write, so I started to work on a novel, bought a one-way ticket to Paris, and rented an apartment across from Notre Dame Cathedral.”