Lea Michele, Cory Monteith & Chris Colfer Will Say Goodbye to Glee in 2012

Glee creator Ryan Murphy has always insisted that he would keep his high school hit authentic by having characters leave the show following graduation and he's proving to be a man of his word, to the dismay of the show's many fans. Murphy confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that stars Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer will leave the show following the upcoming third season, which will see their onscreen alter egos Rachel, Finn and Kurt graduating McKinley High.

"You can keep them on the show for six years and people will criticize you for not being realistic," Murphy said. "Or you can be really true to life and say when they started the show they were very clearly sophomores and they should graduate at the end of their senior year."

The third season of Glee will premiere on FOX on Tuesday, September 20, 2011.