ABC Television said Tuesday it will continue its sitcom that showcased the late John Ritter, showing his television family coping with the death of Ritter's character on "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter."

ABC executives said the show will premier next Tuesday as planned and that the network will air the three episodes Ritter filmed before his death last week.

After that, the show will go into repeats while writers retool the sitcom and production starts. No date was given for when the show will return to the air.

Ritter died last Thursday of an undetected heart problem. He was 54.

"We are going to stick with it," Susan Lyne, president of ABC Entertainment, said in a conference call with reporters.

Each of the first three episodes already shot will start with a special introduction, featuring the cast members. The next new show will deal with the death of Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy.

"Future episodes will take viewers into the Hennessy household as they experience the loss of a father and construct a new life together," said Lloyd Braun, chairman of the ABC Entertainment Television Group.
"We will play out the situation as real life."

Executives said they considered a number of options, including canceling the show, but decided to continue the series without recasting Ritter.

For some reason I assumed 8 Simple Rules would be cancelled, I am happy they decided to keep it going. It should be interesting to how they work John's death into the series ....

Pure blasphemy! Without Ritter there is no show! Boycott ABC for this classless move!!! Turn to NBC, CBS, and Fox!!!!

What is wrong with you, this is a fact of life and they are going to play this just like the game of life. You don't just stop everything when a person passes away, life does have to go on and I believe ABC made the right decision and having the show go on. Ritter would have wanted it that way and he will be smiling down while he is watching his tv family grow just as he will smile as he watches his five year old grow and his son start his career in television. RIP John and kudos ABC, John would have wanted you to make the decision you did.

i think they made the right decision. it will be interesting to see what the new show will be like.