Ben Gavin, who plays Derek Baldwin on Beyond the Gates, opened up about leaving the show in a shocking storyline twist. Originally introduced in 2025, he is a fearless firefighter who serves Maryland. He was involved in the blood plasma storyline and took a bullet for Jacob, resulting in his death. While his character has been written off, Gavin has still expressed his interest in returning in the future if the makers want.
Ben Gavin on Derek leaving Beyond the Gates
In a conversation with TV Insider, Gavin revealed that he learned about his character’s exit in December 2025, and it came as a shock to him. Revealing that the story demanded writing off the role, he elaborated, “They made it pretty clear this was something that they needed, and for the sake of the story, it couldn’t just be anyone. It had to be someone that they started to really care about to hook the audience, and I understood that.”
Gavin is content that Derek died heroically; however, he stressed that it hasn’t been easy to digest the demise storyline. “Derek didn’t have a family, didn’t have parents around, and he didn’t have a job, so I knew there was a chance of being an expendable character,” he added. Moreover, he shared that all cast and crew members assembled to give him a big farewell, and they were emotional about his departure, which he believes was “heartwarming.” He also extended his thanks to fans for their continued love and support for Derek.
While he expressed gratitude for the opportunity, Gavin didn’t rule out his return and hoped to show up in the drama again if called in the future. He said, “That’s my family, and they changed my life for the better. If they call my name, I’ll be there.” The actor mentioned that after his exit, he’s onto another TV project pilot named Cougar,based on his character from the 2025 filmWinterset.
