In news that is sure to upset fans of Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters, show hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage announced last week that Kari Byron, Tory Belleci, and Grant Imahara will not be returning for the show’s next season.
Known as the “build team,” Byron, Belleci, and Imahara began appearing on Mythbusters during the show’s second and third seasons. The trio worked separately from Hyneman and Savage, providing the show with a second team with which to test myths.
Their departure was announced at the end of last week’s episode. During the message, Hyneman stated that Mythbusters will be “going back to [its] origins” and that the next season of the show will feature only himself and Savage.
Belleci had worked with Hyneman’s M5 Industries shop in the mid-90s before moving on to Industrial Light and Magic, where he worked as a model maker for movies such as Peter Pan, Starship Troopers, and Galaxy Quest. He re-joined Hyneman in 2003 to work on Mythbusters and joined the show on-screen in 2004.
Among other things, Belleci is best-known to Mythbusters fans for putting himself at risk for the show, doing things such as entering a bullfighting ring while wearing a red suit or trying (unsuccessfully) to jump a wagon on a bicycle:
Imahara also worked at Industrial Light and Magic as a visual effects engineer before joining Mythbusters in 2005. He is best-known on the show for building robots and other electronic contraptions needed for experiments.
Byron graduated from San Francisco State University in 1998 and pursued art before joining Mythbusters in 2004.
The build team reacted to the announcement on social media, thanking fans and praising their decade-long dream jobs with Mythbusters:
Thanks @MythBusters for allowing us to teach science in a whole new way. Also, explosions. Now, on to the next adventure!
— Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) August 22, 2014
It's been an amazing ride for 10 years! We couldn't have done it without you guys. You're the best fans anyone could wish for. Thank you
— Tory Belleci (@ToryBelleci) August 22, 2014
I can't tell you how much your overwhelming support means to us. Change is never easy, but I'm so excited about the future. Stay tuned.
— Tory Belleci (@ToryBelleci) August 22, 2014
After a decade of the Mythbusters, we are no longer with the show. Thank you to all the fans who have supported us.
— Kari Byron (@KariByron) August 22, 2014
The show is taking a new direction. It was an amazing run. I learned so much about myself and the world. I love you all @MythBusters
— Kari Byron (@KariByron) August 22, 2014
I am sad for an ending but there will be exciting new adventures for us.
— Kari Byron (@KariByron) August 22, 2014