Dozens of residents have come and gone from Virgin River over the years, and it looks like at least two more characters are moving out of the Northern California small town permanently.

Who’s leaving Virgin River after Season 6?

Read on for which Virgin River cast members aren’t coming back for Season 7.

Mark Ghanime (Dr. Cameron Hayek)

Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed to TVLine in December 2024 that Mark Ghanime, who played Dr. Cameron Hayek since Season 4, would not be returning to Virgin River as a series regular for Season 7. “I love Mark, who plays Cameron, and I love the character of Cameron,” he said. “He will always be a part of the world, and I would love to see his character back, but he won’t be a series regular in Season 7, unfortunately.”

Cameron joined Virgin River in Season 4 at Vernon “Doc” Mullins’ then-struggling clinic. He was also a love interest for Melinda “Mel” Monroe before his relationship with Muriel, an actress and a rival to Virgin River mayor and Doc’s wife Hope McCrea. Cameron and Muriel broke up in Season 5 when he reunited with an ex-girlfriend.

More: Virgin River Season 7 Preview: What Comes Next?

Cameron briefly returned to Virgin River in Season 6 to give Muriel (and himself) the closure that they deserved after learning of her breast cancer diagnosis before his official exit from the series. “I love that relationship, and, I think this season saw a little bit of a sendoff for Cameron. In terms of Mark, the actor who I adore, he unfortunately won’t be coming back for season 7,” Smith also told Us Weekly after Season 6’s premiere.

While Cameron won’t be back for Virgin River Season 7 full-time, Smith did confirm the possibility of him appearing in a guest capacity in the future. “But that’s not to say that Cameron’s not a part of our world forever,” he said. “I would love to bring him back, and bring his character back when the story presents itself.”

Lexa Doig (Paige Lassiter)

Paige on Virgin River

Smith also confirmed to TV Insider after Season 6’s premiere that there were “no plans” to bring back Lexa Doig, who played Paige Lassiter, to Virgin River. Paige joined Virgin River in Season 1 as the owner of the bakery truck, Paige’s Bakeaway, and the mother of Christopher, a young boy who forms a close bond with John “Preacher” Middleton, who Paige sparks a romantic relationship with.

Paige was written out of Virgin River in Season 5 after she killed her abusive husband, Wes, and Preacher assisted her in disposing of his body. Season 5 ended with Preacher getting arrested as police theorized he was the one who committed the murder. Though Paige was only spoken about in Season 6, the season followed both Preacher and Paige’s trials. The finale ended with Preacher getting off with a misdemeanor and no prison time and a split jury over whether Paige intentionally killed Wes or if her husband’s death was an accident.

Along with Paige not returning to Virgin River, Smith also confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that there was no plan for Paige and Preacher – who sparked a romance with newcomer Kaia in Season 6 – to get back together, with the trial serving as an official end to their relationship. “I wanted to move past Paige and Preacher. This was the last vestige and loose thread from their relationship,” he said. “So I was interested in this gesture of Preacher protecting her and sacrificing himself where he had been so much her protector and savior from the beginning of this series. By extension, him laying himself on the line for her and [encouraging] her absence to protect her felt like a good way to wrap that up.”