The Simpsons Reveal Which Character Will Be Killed Off

After “The Simpsons“‘ executive producer Al Jean revealed last year that the 26th season of the show would see the death of a “great character”, rumours were rife about who would be the one to meet their maker. Now, with the season premiere having aired in the US, that speculation can now end.

While season 26 of “The Simpsons” won’t air in Australia until at least early next year, viewers in the US, and anyone with an Internet connection, discovered on Sunday night that the character was in fact, Spoiler Alert, Rabbi Hyman Krustofski, also known as Krusty the Clown’s father.

Al Jean had previously hinted that the ill-fated character was voiced by an actor “who won an Emmy” for the role. Krustofski was voiced by American comedian and actor Jackie Mason who did in fact win an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992, for his part in “The Simpsons” episode “Like Father, Like Clown”, making him the show’s first guest star to win an Emmy.

Krustofski, who appeared in only six episodes prior to Sunday, now joins Maude Flanders, Bleeding Gums Murphy, Homer’s mother Mona Simpson, Homer’s Las Vegas wife Amber Simpson, and Bart’s teacher Edna Krabappel as Springfield residents whose time has sadly come.

For the most part, fans have been underwhelmed by the plot, even though Al Jean has made many attempts since teasing the death to downplay the character’s status. “I should say too, some people said it was an ‘iconic’ character, by which I think they’re reading we’re going to kill Homer. Homer will not die, don’t worry,” he told Fairfax Media earlier this year.

According to Fairfax, even the episode’s opening credits downplay any fears that a major character will die off, with Bart writing on the chalkboard, “Spoiler alert: unfortunately, my dad doesn’t die.”