ABC put together a panel of television series creators, whose work included such shows as "Desperate Housewives" and "Private Practice," to meet with the television critics who have gathered here in Los Angeles. Also on the panel was Silvio Horta, the man behind "Ugly Betty."

We now know Christopher Gorham is not returning to the ABC series. The Fresno native's role as Betty's love interest will not be back next year. Gorham has landed the lead in the CBS mid-season thriller "Harper's Island." Horta's appearance on the panel provided an opportunity to find out what was behind the decision to end the storyline.

Was it as simple as the character was never supposed to last more than one season? Or did it have something to do with the production moving to New York?

Here's what Horta said.

"You know, it was neither. Part of it was going into the strike and having that time to really think where this was going. I think we kept rushing it and thinking we're going to continue the relationship sort of. We we had no end point in sight," Horta said. "And thinking about it and where we could go, I just didn't see where there
was a place that was exciting that I wanted to write about and where I thought the audience wanted to watch
it.

"So it just made the most sense to part ways. And Chris is great. This is the second show I did with him. And hopefully he'll be a part of this at some point. It doesn't mean that the door is closed to him being a part of this at any point. But it just felt like it was time to move on."

If Gorham's new show is a hit,. he won't have time to go back to finish the storyline with Betty.