Well, folks, we all knew a huge death was coming up on the March 11 episode of Desperate Housewives – and now we know whose name will be appearing on the tombstone! While many viewers assumed we’d be bidding farewell to Mrs. McClusky, whose cancer is back and more serious than ever, the real victim’s name leaked during courtroom proceedings.

Drumroll please… The Wisterian dying this Sunday is: James Denton‘s Mike Delfino!

If you haven’t been following along, the cast and crew of Desperate Housewives is currently entrenched in real-life courtroom drama. Nicolette Sheridan, who played über-skank Edie Britt for five seasons, is currently suing ABC and the show’s creator Marc Cherry for wrongful termination… along with a few other messy accusations.

When executive producer George Perkins took the stand March 8, he was asked if Nicolette’s Edie was the important character ever killed on the show, to which George said yes — until Mike’s death this Sunday.

Reports say there were audible gasps when the shocker was revealed.

But is James saddened by his character’s sudden passing? Quite the opposite, actually: He sounds excited!

“It’s actually brilliant,” James tells EW.com of Mike’s death at the hand of the mobsters who threatened him last week. “[He] was such a shady character in the beginning. … In fact, Marc had this idea that Delfino might have mob connections, and that’s why his name was Delfino.”

Since the final season of Desperate Housewives has largely found its characters returning to their roots, it’s only fitting for Mike — you know, that gun-toting bad-ass we met in season one — to die in such a dark way.

As for the big goodbye scene between Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike, James says “it’s a really nice scene.” So have a box of Kleenex handy. Seriously.

What do you think of this shocking news, Desperate Housewives fans? Did you suspect Mike would be the one killed off, and will you be sad to see him go? Drop a comment with your thoughts on Mike’s death, and the ridiculous-ness of this whole trial.

— Andy Swift

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