Jim Parsons Thinks It's the Right Time to End 'Big Bang Theory'

The cast of The Big Bang Theory is starring on the cover of Entertainment Weekly‘s Winter TV Preview issue, which is on newsstands nationwide January 4.

Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, and Johnny Galecki are on the cover to say goodbye to their long-running CBS comedy series.

Jim opened up to the magazine about how he feels it’s the right time to end the series, even though he could keep doing it if he wanted to.

“It’s both as complex and as simple as just feeling innately that it was time. It speaks to a lot of things, none of them bad. There is no negative reason to stop doing Big Bang. It felt like we have been able to do this for so many years now, it doesn’t feel like there is anything left on the table. Not that we couldn’t keep doing it, but it feels like we’ve chewed all the meat off this bone,” Jim said.

“I guess at a personal level, it feels like the right time in my life. I don’t know what’s next for me. It’s not like there is something specific I am aiming for. I’m firmly in my middle age now,” Jim continued. “I don’t know how much longer I can wear [the T-shirts] without looking really long in the tooth. In a way, it’s exciting. What is this next chapter of life? What is this next chapter for all of us? It will be very, very sad when it does end, even knowing [I am] okay with it. People are okay when they graduate but there are frequently tears at graduation. It’s hard to say goodbye to people that you have worked with for so long.”

For more from the issue, visit EW.com!