Virgin River fans have been left devastated over the way the show handled Paige’s exit from the series, with viewers taking to Reddit to share their thoughts.

Lexa Doig left Virgin River in season 5 (Image: NETFLIX)

Netflix’s Virgin River returned with a sixth season, featuring Preacher (Colin Lawrence) hinting at his desire to marry Kaia Bryant (Kandyse McClure). The couple met shortly after Preacher was mourning the loss of Paige (Lexa Doig) and Christopher (Chase Petriw).

Paige exited the series at the beginning of season five after narrowly escaping her ex-husband’s twin brother, Vince (Steve Bacic). She and Christopher left to start a new life away from danger, and she hasn’t been seen on screen since.

After an abusive marriage with Wes, Paige relocated to Virgin River and assumed a new identity, leading to an unexpected friendship with Preacher. Following a confrontation that resulted in Wes’s death, Paige realised it was no longer safe for her to stay.

Fans have speculated whether actress Lexa chose to leave the series or if the storyline simply meant she was no longer needed on the show. Since leaving the series, the actress has taken on numerous roles, most notably as Sally Allison in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries TV films.

She also secured recurring roles in Chucky and Goosebumps. This suggests she never planned to be a long-term part of the show.

Lexa Doig as Paige in Virgin River (Image: NETFLIX)

As a recurring character, Paige’s storyline wasn’t central to the plot. There is no evidence to suggest Lexa left the series on bad terms or was forced out.

The Canadian actress Lexa Doig, married to fellow actor Michael Shanks, has had to balance her acting career with motherhood. The couple, who met on the set of Andromeda and later worked together on Virgin River, have two children.

Following Lexa’s character Paige’s departure from Virgin River, fans expressed their disappointment on Reddit. Ollies_mama22 lamented: “I will never forgive the writers for how things went with Paige/Michelle and Preacher.

Virgin River’s Lexa Doig and Colin Lawrence (Image: NETFLIX)

“The way things ended with Paige and Preacher is so upsetting. They both deserved so much better. Instead, she is back to running from the law with her son. It’s not fair.”

Another fan, InterviewCautious649, speculated: “I thought it was because the actress wanted to leave but I think it was because they didn’t know what to do with their relationship.

Typical-Ad4773 suggested that the child actor’s growth spurt might be the reason: “To be honest I think it’s mainly because the actor who plays Christopher is growing up and it doesn’t match the shows timelines.”

Splashy717 added: “This is what happens with a show that is this slow-paced (Mel’s not even in VR for a full year and we’re how many seasons in?) and a child actor is involved. He grew up and they needed a way to write them off. Sad.”

Virgin River is streaming on Netflix