Why Did Diana Rigg Leave The Avengers?

Diana Rigg left The Avengers due to a pay gap. It was confirmed that the primary factor for her departure from the show was the low earning she was receiving.

From 1995 to 1968, Rigg appeared in The Avengers opposite Patrick Macnee as John Steed, playing the secret agent, Emma Peel in 51 episodes. She was replaced by Elizabeth Shepard at very short notice while Sherperd was dropped from the role after filming two episodes.

Rigg auditioned for the whim, without ever having seen the programme. Although she was hugely successful in the series, she disliked the lack of privacy that it brought and was not comfortable in her position as a sex symbol.

In an interview with The Guardian, in 2019, Rigg stated that “becoming a sex symbol overnight shocked her”. She also did not like the way she was treated by the production company, ABC Weekend TV.