When the 害羞草研究所淩ick Mercer Report害羞草研究所� returns to CBC Tuesday night, the opening headline will be 害羞草研究所淔inal Season.害羞草研究所�

The Canadian comedian has decided to end the show in March after 15 seasons and 277 episodes.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Mercer said there was no 害羞草研究所渟eismic event or epiphany that this should be the end. It害羞草研究所檚 still the best job in the world.害羞草研究所�

It was simply the right time, he said.

Mercer, who turns 48 next month, posted his announcement Monday in a specially taped rant to his 1.3 million Twitter followers.

It will be one of 264 rants he will have performed since the series premiered on Jan. 12, 2004 害羞草研究所� all captured in various graffiti-strewn Toronto alleyways by director of photography Don Spence.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 incredibly proud of the show and everything we害羞草研究所檝e done,害羞草研究所� said Mercer.

To get ready for one last season, he flew thousands of kilometres this summer, taping segments 害羞草研究所渇rom sea to sea to sea.害羞草研究所� One 12-day trip saw him snorkelling in the Arctic Ocean off Cambridge Bay where Canadian underwater archeologists are based.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e way up there,害羞草研究所� said Mercer. 害羞草研究所淚t was fantastic.害羞草研究所�

In P.E.I., he hung off the side of the Confederation Bridge with a maintenance crew.

害羞草研究所淚 had nightmares for days afterwards,害羞草研究所� he said.

A message from the alley...

害羞草研究所� Rick Mercer (@rickmercer)

A stop on the B.C. coast saw him helping to release eagles into the wild. In rural Manitoba, he helped seniors paint a grain elevator.

害羞草研究所淭hree coasts and a grain elevator,害羞草研究所� said Mercer. 害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 get more Canadian than that.害羞草研究所�

All that travel left him with 害羞草研究所渓uggage in my house in various stages of packed and unpacked for 15 years.害羞草研究所�

He praised members of his road crew, including field producer John Marshall, who have been with him from the beginning.

He害羞草研究所檚 proud of all the money raised for causes such as the malaria-prevention 害羞草研究所淪pread the Net害羞草研究所� campaign.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 engaged a whole bunch of young people in ways that just keeps on paying dividends,害羞草研究所� said Mercer.

Just how lucky he害羞草研究所檚 been hit him a few years ago when he struck up a conversation with a passenger on a plane.

害羞草研究所淗e revealed to me, sadly, that he didn害羞草研究所檛 have long to live,害羞草研究所� said Mercer. 害羞草研究所淭his man had compiled a bucket list of, like, a hundred things that he was going to do.

害羞草研究所淪o he started explaining his bucket list to me, and I had to stop myself because everything he said, I was like, 害羞草研究所極h, you害羞草研究所檝e got to do that! It害羞草研究所檚 great!害羞草研究所�

Mercer realized that he害羞草研究所檚 been living a bucket list life.

害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 know how many people you might meet whose fondest dream is to fly in the back of a fighter jet,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所漌ell, I害羞草研究所檝e done that three times.害羞草研究所�

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So why walk away from the best job in television?

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e done this before,害羞草研究所� said Mercer, who was one of the founders of 害羞草研究所淭his Hour Has 22 Minutes.害羞草研究所� That series returns Tuesday night for its 25th season right after the 害羞草研究所淢ercer Report.害羞草研究所�

Mercer was 23 when 害羞草研究所�22 Minutes害羞草研究所� launched and left after eight seasons.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of people said, 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檙e mad, why would you walk away from this?害羞草研究所� said Mercer, 害羞草研究所淪ometimes you have to take a chance.害羞草研究所�

What followed was a five-season run on the sitcom 害羞草研究所淢ade in Canada.害羞草研究所� He also scored huge ratings with his 害羞草研究所淭alking to Americans害羞草研究所� comedy special. Factor in 害羞草研究所淢ercer Report害羞草研究所� and he will have been a key part of the CBC schedule for 25 consecutive seasons.

Now that the series is ending, will politicians be clamouring for one last appearance? Mercer shot segments with everyone from former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chretien to NDP leadership hopeful Jagmeet Singh. He害羞草研究所檚 shied away from that lately, 害羞草研究所渂ut if Bob Rae wants to get naked again for one last skinny dip, he害羞草研究所檚 welcome.害羞草研究所�

He swears he害羞草研究所檚 not leaving to write a book or accept a Senate appointment. He害羞草研究所檚 not angling for a raise or 害羞草研究所渓ooking to spend more time with my family.害羞草研究所� And he promises he won害羞草研究所檛 grow a giant beard like David Letterman.

He doubts he害羞草研究所檒l change his mind, either.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot of people who害羞草研究所檝e worked on this show for a long time,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e like family in many ways. They deserve the heads-up.害羞草研究所�

Mercer talked it over with his partner at home and work, executive producer Gerald Lunz. It was their call to go out on top.

害羞草研究所淵ou leave to protect the legacy of the show,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what you have to do.害羞草研究所�

What will he do next?

害羞草研究所淚 honestly don害羞草研究所檛 know the answer,害羞草研究所� said Mercer. 害羞草研究所淩ight now, I just want this to be the best season ever.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� Bill Brioux is a freelance TV columnist based in Brampton, Ont.

Bill Brioux, The Canadian Press