"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" showrunner David Graziano is addressing Kelli Giddish's sudden exit.
The writer, who took over showrunning duties from Warren Leight in June, weighed in on Giddish's departure in the comments section of her Aug. 24 Instagram post announcing the news. "You might take a moment to entertain the idea that things are more complex than they appear in a world of emojis and tweets," Graziano wrote. "All I'll say is Kelli has handled this with the most incredibly classy comportment."
He continued, "She is, without a doubt, one of the finest industry professionals I've come across in my 24 years of writing for television. I'm saddened by her looming exit. It'll be my lucky day if I ever get to write for her again."
E! News reached out to Giddish's reps for comment and didn't hear back.
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While Graziano shared that he is saddened that he and "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf are being criticized for Giddish's departure, he said, "It's an unfortunate thing to get the blame, but it's part of the job."
The writer noted that he's used to receiving mean comments as he has vitiligo, a skin pigment condition that impacts skin color. "I've been made fun of most of my life for having vitiligo," Graziano wrote. "These spots have made me strong. If it makes you feel better to lash out at something, I suppose it's better than a puppy. I can take it."
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Giddish, meanwhile, hasn't publicly addressed Graziano's comments.
In her post announcing her departure, Giddish said she was looking forward to future projects, writing, "I'm so excited to take all the things I have learned in my time on SVU and put them toward everything that's next to come."
However, fans haven't seen the last of Detective Amanda Rollins. Giddish said she will appear on "Law & Order: SVU" as it begins its 24th season, which premieres on NBC Sept. 22.
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