Nicholas Brendon Walks Off ‘The Dr. Phil Show’ Before Finishing Interview On Recent Troubles

Nicholas Brendon, the former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star, walked off the set of the Dr. Phil Show before the interview was completed.

Nicholas Brendon Exits ‘Dr. Phil Show’

Brendon, 44, has had a string of run-ins with the law over the last year, which were due in part to the actor’s alleged abuse of drugs and alcohol. He agreed to make an appearance on Dr. Phil as part of his rehabilitation, but soon decided that Phil McGraw‘s TV program wasn’t the venue for him to talk about his troubles.

On Facebook, Brendon explained his reasons for walking off the show – but started with praise for McGraw. “I want to acknowledge all the good Dr. Phil has done for people, famous or not. His production has spent millions on helping people turn their lives around,” Brendon wrote before turning things back to his specific case.

“My illnesses and addictions are a daily struggle for me, and I am committed to working on them for the rest of my life. A big part of that is focusing on positivity. I’m the first to admit I’ve messed up, a lot, and I’ve hurt people I care about and who care about me,” Brendon continued. “When I was in that seat, I felt that Dr. Phil went for the jugular, talking about some of my recent mistakes, with no build up. I felt that he wanted me to lay the darkest parts of myself on national TV right from the start, and I’m not willing to do that.”

Brendon added, “Buffy never chased ratings, and neither should I. Rest assured I am in private treatment and we are going deep so I can live a long and happy life.”

In response to Brendon’s decision to exit The Dr. Phil Show, the show released a statement of its own, claiming that though the actor was respectful he didn’t entertain an in-depth discussion with Dr. Phil.

“Nicholas Brendon appeared on Dr. Phil yesterday. Unfortunately, he chose to disengage before a dialogue with Dr. Phil ever began. There was no drama, he simply chose to leave and did so in a respectful manner,” the statement read. “His family and associates remained and participated fully and productively. Dr. Phil has nothing but the highest respect for Nicholas and wishes him the best in his quest for physical/mental health and sobriety, and stands ready to assist him in any way possible. The episode was completed as scheduled. An airdate will be announced in the future.”

Earlier this year, Nick Gordon, who had carried on a relationship with Whitney Houston’s late daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, also stormed out of an interview with Dr. Phil. He is said to have checked himself into rehab soon thereafter.