Next ‘Empire’ season will be its last, Fox announces

NEW YORK — The Fox network says “Empire,” the popular hip-hop drama that’s shot in Chicago, will conclude after the 2019-20 season.

Executives affirmed that the show is not intending to bring back controversial co-star Jussie Smollett.

“We have an option to do it, but there are no plans at this point” to include him in the 20-episode sixth season, Fox chief Charlie Collier said, declining to clarify whether issues with Smollett led to the cancellation.

“We are turning the final season into a large TV event,” he said. “We are trying to go out guns a-blazing.”

Smollett was accused of staging a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in Chicago. The charges were dropped.