'Sesame Street' Denies Veteran Actors Kicked Off Long-Running Kids Show

NEW YORK (CBSLA.com/AP) — "Sesame Street" says reports that longtime characters Bob, Gordon and Luis are leaving the show just don't add up.

The children's show said that actor Bob McGrath, part of the original cast in 1969, and Emilio Delgado, who plays Luis the handyman, last performed in episodes taped in 2013.

Roscoe Orman, who has played original character Gordon since 1974, filmed new appearances for the current season of the show, which, beginning this year, is airing on HBO as well as on PBS.

Multiple reports circulated on social media about the alleged move after McGrath, 84, said on a podcast earlier this month that since the move to HBO "they let all of the original cast members go."

Sesame Street released a statement on Twitter saying that all three would continue to appear on the show. The statement also made clear that HBO has nothing to do with the production of the show.

"Since the show began, we are constantly evolving our content and curriculum, and hence, our characters, to meet the educational needs of children. As a result of this, our cast has changed over the years, though you can still expect to see many of them in upcoming productions", the statement read.

Sesame Street first aired on public television in Nov. 1969 and made its debut on HBO in January.

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