THE end of the road for CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” has arrived. Producers Warner Bros. Television announced Wednesday that the comedy’s previously announced 12th season will be its last.

“We, along with the cast, writers and crew, are extremely appreciative of the show’s success and aim to deliver a final season, and series finale, that will bring ‘The Big Bang Theory’ to an epic creative close,” WBTV and Chuck Lorre Productions said in a joint statement.

Created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, “The Big Bang Theory” will wrap its 12-season run in May 2019 as TV’s longest-running multicamera comedy in history, with what will be a record 279 episodes.

The decision arrives as CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl told reporters Aug. 5 that the network was in preliminary discussions to renew the show for a 13th season with WBTV.

“The Big Bang Theory” is heading into its 12th season in the fall after WBTV inked the cast to new deals last year that sources said were worth US$900,000 a piece, plus lucrative points off the show’s backend and overall deals.

The series’ five original stars — Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar — all took US$100,000 pay cuts to help bring co-stars Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch to parity.

Sources said the decision to wrap the series would likely land on the shoulders of its Emmy-winning star Parsons and the entire cast would return if he wanted to do more as well. The timing of the final-season announcement comes in the morning after the Season 12 premiere filmed before a live studio audience on the show’s Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.

“‘The Big Bang Theory’ has been the defining comedy of its generation,” Kahl said Wednesday in a statement.

“All of us at the network take exceptional pride in this series that uniquely combines creative genius, commercial ratings success, cultural influence and characters who became so popular. They are easily known by just one name.”(SD-Agencies)