Rockmond Dunbar has left 9-1-1 over his refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Dunbar, who is an original member of the cast and appeared on the show for the first five seasons, was written out of the series in its latest episode.

“I applied for religious and medical accommodations pursuant to the law and unfortunately was denied by my employer,” he said in a statement.

“My sincerely held beliefs and private medical history are very intimate and personal aspects of my life that I do not publicly discuss and have no desire to start now,” he added.

20th Television, who produce the show, requires all actors to be vaccinated to work on their shows.

The actor, who has also had starring roles in shows such as Sons of Anarchy and Prison Break, added: “I’ve been an actor in this business for 30 years, but my greatest roles are as a husband and father to our four small children. As a man that walks in faith, I look forward to what the future holds. I have enjoyed the last five seasons with this wonderful cast and crew and will cherish the time I’ve been blessed to spend with this series and wish everyone involved nothing but the best.”

In their own statement, 20th Television said: “In order to ensure a safer workplace for all, Zone A personnel who do not confirm their vaccination status and do not meet the criteria for exemption will not be eligible to work.”

9-1-1 premiered in 2018 and also stars Oscar nominee Angela Bassett, Connie Britton, Kenneth Choi and Jennifer Love Hewitt.