Jason Segel - Jason Segel To Quit How I Met Your Mother?

The funnyman has been portraying the loveable Marshall Eriksen on the Emmy-winning TV comedy since its inception in 2005, when he was cast alongside Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor and Cobie Smulders.

The star has been branching out into Hollywood in recent years and recently scored box office success with movies including Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up and The Muppets, and it appears he's ready to leave behind his TV roots to focus on more varied film roles, like his character in his latest romantic comedy, The Five-Year Engagement.

In an interview with Austrian website kurier.at, he is reported as saying, "It's great to do some 'Rated R' stuff again, because I've been playing the nice guy for quite a long time now. That's why I'm gonna quit How I met your Mother after the eighth season."

The eighth season of How I Met Your Mother is due to premiere in the U.S. in September (12).

A representative for Segel had yet to respond to requests for a comment as WENN went to press.