Hugh Laurie has announced that once he ends his run as the title character on FOX’s hit medical drama ‘House,’ he’ll retire from television, AOL TV is reporting. “I think I have been rather spoiled here. I can’t imagine there will be another one quite like this,” the actor said. He added that he thinks he’s “extremely lucky to have had the one shot that I have had at it, and I wouldn’t go looking for lightening to strike twice.”

Laurie also said that he thinks he isn’t a “desirable commodity for TV” anymore, after playing the grumpy Dr. Gregory House for eight seasons and nearly 170 episodes. In the course of the show’s run, the actor has been nominated for six Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy awards, and has won two Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama Golden Globe awards.

After ‘House’ ends, Laurie said he thinks he’ll probably “be as interested by either writing or producing or directing, or some other aspect. I find the whole field of it fascinating.”

FOX has yet to announce if it has renewed ‘House’ for a ninth season, so its future is still uncertain. Laurie’s contract expires at the end of the eighth season, so executive producer David Shore is in talks with the network to to decide if the medical drama will be renewed.

Written by: Karen Benardello