Season nine of AMC zombie drama "The Walking Dead" will usher in a new era not only for the characters on the show, but for leading man Andrew Lincoln, who's set to depart the series he helped launch. And while details of his exit are being kept under wraps for now, Lincoln is reflecting on what it will mean to leave "TWD" behind.

Entertainment Weekly was on set during Lincoln's last day of filming back in June, and chatted with the star about the milestone.

“I’m scared, man,” Lincoln said of his impending departure. “I’m nervous. F—. It’s over, man. This is it. It’s over.”

The actor made the difficult decision to turn in Sheriff Rick Grimes's badge in order to spend more time with his wife and two children, who reside in his native England.

"The fact of the matter is, I can shut off my heart for a good distance, and I’ve had to do it for eight years, but I have to come home," Lincoln explained to EW. "It’s a very painful decision, but it’s the right decision."

He originally wanted to leave in season eight, but admitted he wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet; that led to his return for a brief season nine run. Just what that run will entail is anybody's guess, but Lincoln said he personally helped craft his swan song.

“There was a certain sense of, how do you exit a show that is going to continue?" the actor told EW. "I thought long and hard about it, and I came up with an idea that hopefully is going to work. We’ll see how it goes.”

Fans will be able to find out soon enough. Season nine of "The Walking Dead" premieres on AMC on October 7.

[via: Entertainment Weekly]