Jill Marie Jones, who played Toni Childs, decided to leave regardless of which way the axe fell.
When the WB and UPN decided to merge into the CW, it must have occured to all of the actors and actresses of Girlfriends that they may not be back. Jill Marie Jones, who played Toni Childs, decided to leave regardless of which way the axe fell.…








Article comments
— go to most recent comments76 - jobeau
I was very disappointed to see that the majority of the Monday line-up was canceled. In fact, I was more upset to learn that "All of Us" stayed while "Half and Half" was canceled. I hope this was not political and had a bearing on the names that produced the shows.
I do not watch much TV, but the 2005 fall Monday night line-up was the only time I was glued to the TV.
Finally, I am very outraged that Jill Marie Jones opted not to stay on the show. I wish her much luck, but since Girlfriends, I have not seen her on any other TV or movie shows. I hope Jill is happy with her decision. Shame on CW for destroying the chemistry of Girlfriends.
77 - Matthew Milam
Actually, Chris Rock's brother (Tony Rock) is on All Of Us. They should give you a hint as to why it's back. Certainly not for the quality of LisaRaye's "acting"
78 - I'm very very angry
First off I want to say- the fastest way to get rid of a show is to change it's air time, and day! So they did this- by changing the entire day, now that's one big problem! But also to get rid of a piece of the pie! That's so ridiculous. I LOVE THIS SHOW! Monday nights- was dedicated to watching UPN- I would get so pissed if my phone rang between 7:30-8:30! All of Us and Girlfriends. I just can't believe that they are actually getting rid "Miss Toni Childs". They got to get her back on the show. I agree with everybody on the this site. I really wonder if they even care, that this is bothering everybody. I will probably watch the first 2 shows- but after that it's a wrap. So the rest of them should get prepared to be unemployed also! Because this show is really a done one! This was one of my fears! Every time I get attached to a show it ends up going off the air. This is so stupid! They just came a put a wrench in this show. I am too pissed! Really, and I might not even watch the first show!!!!!!!!!!!
They really need to get it together, this was a very bad idea for the merger- now that it's been brought to my attention!!!!
79 - THEY HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS
They must be really slipping or they are on something. Toni made the show and what is up with this Sunday lineup I watch the 4400. They are really slipping. I can see right now that I want be watching this television shows
80 - Chris
You guys must be tripping on some very bad weed, otherwise why in the world would you wanna mess with the chemistry of characters on "Girlfriends". This show is the only reason that I have a date with my TV on Mondays, and now you people wanna take that away from me.
I love "Toni Child" as portrayed by JIll Marie Jones. No replacements will do. Jill made that character real. "Toni Child" is a bitch, self centered, egotistic and real. And I love her.
Please don't let Ms Jones go because without her "Girlfriends" will be just another ordinary show that is doomed to failure after the initial fanfare. I won,t be watching thank you.
81 - Bill
Who's Jill Marie Jones?
82 - MYNAME IS
ooo maybe Hoopz from flavor of Love can join Girlfriends :-) Let's find her agent
83 - Keva
THAT IS SOOOO FUKKED UP! I CAN'T BELIEVE YALL. BRING TONY BACK AND MOVE TO CBS OR I'M DONE WITH WATCHING!
84 - bigbigbig
u suck toni made this show what it was get her back asap lollololololololololololololololo
85 - melissa
DO NOT WATCH THE SHOW - the other three girls should have stood with her - hello does the cast of friends ring a bell???? bring Toni back
86 - thatchickuwanab
THE sh*t aint gone be the same period
WHHYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
87 - Dannie
I Loved Toni!!!!! WHY DID THEY TAKE HER OUT!! NOOO!!!
88 - Wyzard999
Ok .. So Toni is gone ..
Get over it ..
Get Danielle Evans (Top Model Winner)
She would be an absolute winner ..
Bring that southern character to the show.
She has much charisma
Hush my mouth & Say It Ain't So
... Danielle
Huggs
89 - newfan
I've just recently began watching Girlfriends through late night reruns, and I am hooked! I don't want to see this show cancelled, so I will continue to watch it. I don't feel like boycotting the show in it's entirety is the answer here. How many of you have written letters to CW? That's what we need to do! This network merger sounds like a load of bull to me, and I'm amazed to hear that this will be a cable channel. I hadn't heard that before reading it on the site tonight. I hope CBS does pick up Girlfriends, and that Jill Marie Jones will come back when that happens. Time will tell.
90 - awilliams
The worst thing they could have ever done was to cancel Half and Half and take lose Jill Marie Jones. Tracee Ross or any of the others can carry that show. That show needs Jill and all of her DIVAtude! Bring by Jill or just cancel the show.
91 - kellstouch
Please, please bring back Toni childs, Jill Marie Jones. She was key to bringing the interest and drama to the show. No this does not work with a new actress! You can't wait until the 6th season and think you will find that chemistry with the audience again! Jill marie jones brought excitement and passion to that part. Bad move if you don't bring her back! Pay the woman.
92 - Matthew Milam
Everyone who wishes to write to the CW and the people invovled should come over to my website by clicking on the URL.
If you need a more direct link, here it is: theinsideofmybrain.com
93 - Keziah
I don't know if this means anything but I just found an article on AOL and their saying that the new season of girlfriends will be focused on Toni and Todd's custody battle. There's still hope also Jill's names is mentioned in the cast!
94 - Matthew Milam
If you notice on the page you gave, there is no listing for Jill linked -- but there is a link for Brooks, Ross, and White. She's out.
95 - AnyaCH3
Coming from one diva to the next Toni Childs is "Girlfriends"! She is the only one that can curse Joan out and whoop her ass and they still go to church and be friends in the morning. Now that is a real girlfriend. She is a reality check for Maya, Lynn and Joan and the show will not seem real without her!
P.S. I'm with Puzzled, Hurry up and put Girlfriends on DVD I am tired of watching my collection of Sex and the City!
96 - Gina
Jill leaving Girlfriends is bull and the beginning of the end for the show. UPN and WB were supposed to be merging but the merge doesn't seem quite equal. Now they're moving the Monday night mainstays to Sunday. I will not be watching the new network in part to support my girl Jill and in part to support all black programs. I hope the show can be spared and saved by a major network. None of the major networks have a black show which I think is really dumb since black shows have always done great in the past. I also think it is bull that Half and Half was cancelled. Those WB shows are lame and whitebread!!
97 - Juicey
I am very disgusted at the joining of the networks. I was so used to watching all the shows on the designated nights, now the little bit of shows they do have all comes on Sunday. What kind of mess is that and on top of that Toni left girlfriends. Its not going to be the same. I have nothing to watch, but America's next top model. They have the nerve to bring back all of us. I stopped watching that after they took some of the characters away. They need to either take that show off or put some of the old characters back on. I loved watching half and half and cuts. Those shows were better than all of us.
It just sucks with this new network. They will lose a lot of viewers.
98 - terri
Not only are they meesing up the chemistry of the show by letting Jill Marie Jones leave, but those bone heads are changing the night. It you go to
www.cwtv.com you will see that all the black shows have been moved to Sunday night. What's worse it that Girlfriends is on at the same time as Desperate Housewives. What kind of crap is that?????
99 - Brenda
I will not watch the show now that she is leaving. She is the best part of the show.
100 - Mimimumbi
You know, I'll repeat what many of you have already said. Jill Marie (Toni) made girlfriends, sure we loved watching Maya and Darnell raise their son jebari, balance their careers etc. (Black Family). Sure we loved seeing Joan go through her motions yet she was so sucsessful as a black woman. and Ofcourse Lynn, we all love lynn's liberal character BUT it was Toni who was igotistical, Nurotic, Arrogant, As ass at time, Self centered BUT we loved it...and after her having her child, being a black single mom on TV was inspiring to so many out there. Being able to balance life and a child, also seeing her characters changes. Anyway, i give girlfriends 1 or 2 more seasons, unless they ofcourse find someone who can bring what Jill brought to girlfriends, which i doubt they can. She is one of a kind and i wish her much sucsess.
101 - KayKay
Jill Marie Jones' departure not withstanding, have to wonder if "Girlfriends" was set up to fail anyway. If it's pitted against "Desperate Housewives", which show do you think will win that timeslot ? Not only that..why are ALL of the Black shows being shown on the same night ? Either way, i think this is the last season for "Girlfriends". I admit that i will watch the first episode. I want to see how they explain Toni's absence, and how they work around her. After that, i couldn't be bothered to watch again..unless she comes back, of course.
102 - KayKay
Jill Marie Jones' departure not withstanding; I have to wonder if "Girlfriends" was set up to fail anyway. If it's pitted against "Desperate Housewives", which show do you think will win that timeslot ? Not only that..why are ALL of the Black shows being shown on the same night ? Either way, i think this is the last season for "Girlfriends". I admit that i will watch the first episode. I want to see how they explain Toni's absence, and how they work around her. After that, i couldn't be bothered to watch again..unless she comes back, of course.
103 - josie
are u freakin serious?! i just caught a glimps of the girlfriends commercial... short Ms. Toni in the mix... and did a quick search on it hoping it wasnt true. Whats the show without her??? It was her relationship with Joan that basically made the damn show. I watched the show mainly because of toni and how i could relate to her.
They better come back real hard because i dont wanna loose the only show i consider my favorite. :(
104 - Terri Stevens
This is far more the best show. My husband laugh because I know every episode. I think they are all godd actresses and only would hope that Jill will reconsider because they were good together.
105 - ms erica
there is no girlfriends without toni. She was an idol for black females. "get rich and live how u wanna live."
106 - UPSET DEB
Jill Marie Jones, LEAVING THE SHOW???!!!!! PLEASE!! "TONY CHILDS" IS TRULY NEEDED TO BRING A BALANCE TO THE SHOW. THERE IS JOAN; DEPENDABLE, SOMETIMES, WITH DECECENT RULES FOR HER LIFE,THERE'S MAYA; DIVORCED, GETTO AT TIMES, AND THEN THERE IS LYNN; RACIALLY, SEXUALLY, AND MORALLY, COMFUSED. WHO WILL BE THE SELFISH, SELFCENTERED, DRAMA QUEEN? TONY FILLED IN THE MISSING QUALITIES THAT WE ALL LOVED, THAT MADE THE SHOW REAL TO THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD. THIS IS REALLY HOW FRIEND RELATE TO EACH OTHER. THEY ARE ALL FULFILLING THE MISSING FACTORS FROM EACH OTHERS LIVES WHICH BRING COMPLETION TO THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. ALL THE OTHERS ARE TO CARING TO HURT THE OTHERS FEELINGS BUT "TONY" TELLS IT LIKE IT IS,THIS IS ALWAYS NEEDED, SOMEONE TO BE HONEST IF IT DOES HURT. WE NEED "TONY CHILDS."
107 - JONNIE C
I cannot believe that took Toni off. I won't be watching it anymore and it is one of my favorites.Toni brings alot of spice to the show and I cannot imagine it being on without her.
CW probably doesn't have a clue of what they have done to "Girlfriends". This will probably be there last season without TONI..
108 - S. Henderson-Putman
I cannot believe that crack head Maya, that bugged eyed Joan and boring ass Lynn could stab Toni in the back like that. I will not be watching this up coming LAST season. As this is the end without Toni Childs. The comment from Joan in Vibe Vixen Magazine was very inappropriate and you can tell how jealous she really was of Toni in real life. The show may not be called Toni and friends but without her the show will not last. Now what's Joan gonna do beside ask mommy to pull some strings for a new job.
109 - Andrea33
Girlfriends is one of the most comical, close to reality show I have ever watched. Cancelling this show would be a very bad idea.
110 - S Young
"Girlfriends" will not be the same without Jill Marie Jones; This show was the African-American version of "Sex and the City", I used to rush home and watch it and my girlfriends and myself would be on the phone discussing it. It's upsetting to know that people that you work with that are suppposed to be your friends could do this to her. When the show 1st began it was based around Ms Ross (Joan) but I guess the writers saw what a snooze that was and change it up. Ms Jones will be truely missed as everyone one has said that show will not be the same without her. I wish her nothing but the best for her upcoming projects.
No longer a fan of the show!!!
Another fan
111 - da chick dats madd
i remember flipping thru the channels not too long ago, stopping on my favorite network, UPN. but to my surprise, i didnt see the UPN logo in the bottom corner of the screen. i saw CW. i wish sum1 would tell me wats up wit dat?? anyway, u all need to get sumthing strait: JILL MARIE JONES WAS NOT KICKED OFF THE SHOW. SHE LEFT OF HER OWN ACCORD. so u need to stop blaming the network for ''getting rid of her''. besides all that though, as a faithful viewer of the show, i think that Girlfriends has slowly been going downhill. i used to tune in every monday to watch, but ever since this drama between "joan" and "toni", i only watch the friggin show wen theres ABSOLUTELY nothing else on. without toni, the show is going to get cancelled because of all the viewers they're going to lose. take that into consideration, all u CW execs
112 - deshia
I used to schedule my work around the UPN shows because that's all we had. It is a big mistake to get rid of Jill Marie Jones. Girlfriends was a great show. I wish they would have gotten rid of Golden Brooks instead. And they really need to bring back Half and Half that is a great show.
113 - Jarrel
OH MY GOSH No Toni. I loved Toni because I identified with her so much and we were just alike. The show will NEVER been the same without her. I wanted to see her confront Joan after the custody battle.
114 - KayKay
2 Da Chick dats madd: we know she didn't get kicked off of the show. She got stabbed in the back by the other female cast members, and the backstabbing resulted in her departure. I didn't see the article in Vibe Vixen, but i have no problems believing that Tracey Ross and the other female cast members were jealous of her. She had the most interesting story lines, the most complex character, and (in my opinion) was the prettiest of them all. That's probably what led them to stab her in the back in the first place. In the meantime, i saw this article on Vibe.com
115 - tony starks
CW is using the same strategy as FOX did when it was finding it self ,using black shows as work horses to boost ratings and obtain sponsers.
116 - Colleen
Girlfriends, no longer in my vocabulary. Jill Marie Jones was the show. Get rid of Tracee (Joan)I can't stand her. Toni was "Girlfriends" the show will not be the same. Jill Marie was the most beautiful women on the show the others did not hold a candle to her. Oh, what station was that show on; what was the name of the show, well guess I won't be watching that channel any longer.
117 - TRACY
I LOVE TONI, SHE IS THE ENTIRE SHOW. SHE CAN'T LEAVE SOMEONE HAVE TO TALK WITH HER. SHE IS THE BOMB.
118 - wvaltv
I'm really, really disappointed "Girlfriends" is returning without Jill Marie Jones. I guess I have been out of loop, thinking that all the black-based shows from the former UPN were canceled and this new network, CW, would continue with all the WB's shows. Jones, as Toni Childs, definitely will be missed. Her character provided some of the best, creative tension and drama for the show. I think I would've preferred if all cast members didn't return and the actors with a raise in pay with their contracts, then the show, Girlfriends should have been canceled altogether.
I am further disappointed and upset that all the black sitcoms are situated on Sundays, a poor placement for all the shows, there by, a set-up by the CW for failure.
119 - Christina
I am glad she is gone toni was the ugliest out of the bunch and the most annoying toooo.
120 - Lord Cinnastasia
I can't believe this. I dont have local chanels so havn't been able to catch the last seasoon. This is such sad news since Tony's total lack of concern for others is so funny to watch. I live for the names she'd come up with for Jabaree. The only one I hadnt heard was Djibudy. LOL Please what ever network the WB and UPN have become they need to bring Jill Marie Jones back.
121 - TONI, TONI, TONI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I BELIEVE I AM THE ABSOLUTE BIGGEST FAN OF GIRLFRIENDS AS I HAVE SEEN EVERY EPISODE AT LEAST 3 OR TIMES AND I WILL STILL KEEP WATCHING AGAIN AND AGAIN. WITH ALL THE FANS THAT SUPPORT TONI CHILDS CHARACTER PLAYED BY THE WONDERFULLY INCREDIBLE JILL MARIE JONES, I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY JILL TO COME BACK ON THE SHOW...I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH IT COSTS YOU "CW TV" BUT PAY THIS WOMAN YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT...TONI'S CHARACTER HAS GROWN TO BE THE BACKBONE OF THE SHOW AND I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD THE SHOW WILL BE THIS SEASON SHE WILL ADD TWICE AS MUCH ESPECIALLY NOW SINCE YOU REMOVING HER (OR HER LEAVING ON HER OWN) HAS IMMEDIATELY GOTTEN ALL OF HER FANS HIGHLY CONCERNED FOR HER EXPEDITIOUS RETURN BEFORE THE RATINGS DROP AND THEN ITS TOO LATE...JUST BRING HER BACK PAY THE PRICE WHATEVER IT IS IT WILL BE WELL WORTH!!! TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT...GET TONI CHILDS BACK ON THE SHOW AND DO IT NOW!!!
P.S. AND TO JILL MARIE JONES I LOVE HOW YOU HAVE MADE THE TONI CHILD CHARACTER SO REAL AND SO FUNNY YOU ARE AN AWESOME ACTRESS AND WITH ALL DO RESPECT PLEASE RE-CONSIDER RETURNING TO THE SHOW IF YOU GET CONTACTED...I AM A GRADUATE OF SPELMAN COLLEGE AND THE SHOW REMINDS ME OF THE CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS I MAINTAINED OVER ALL OF THESE YEARS...AND WE ARE ALL STILL FRIENDS...BEST FRIENDS. I JUST LOVED THE SHOW THE WAY THAT IT WAS...TONI CHILDS MUST BE BROUGHT BACK, I PRAY!!!
122 - Will Miss Jill
This is sad...
I agree will everyone. Especially the fans of Jill/Toni. I didn't watch the show in the beginning because I thought that they were all trying too hard to act like Sistahs. Then a friend convinced me to give the show another try and specifically referenced Toni. She is the funniest of them all. I love her character and just the thought of some of her fights with her now ex makes me laugh.
I don't think I will watch the show anymore. As she was the reason that I begain to watch in the first place.
I agree...She needs to be brought back, no matter the cost!
123 - Tracy310
I love the show GIRLFRIENDS!! My cousins and I used to sit and watch it every Monday. We all decided which characters we are , and I was Toni. She is one of the biggest reasons anyone watches the show. She could dress her ass off, tell it like it is, and she was always real!! And I think the CW Network let her go so badly they should have went more into the situation with her and Joan, that is her God-daughter. They shoud have let Lynn ass go, what the hell does she contribute to the show, she really has no purpose. I wonder how the writers are gonna fix this up to make it all make sense and believeable. I also noticed that Girlfriends has not one DVD box set!! Why is that???????
124 - Lady J
I LOVED girlfriends! Toni Childs was my absolute favorite character. I definitely think the show will suffer without her witty and sassy sense of humor. She brought a uniqueness to the show that none of the other characters have!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring her back. The show wont be the same without her.
125 - Matthew Milam
So has anyone written to the networks?