'House' star quits to join White House

Kal Penn has quit House to begin working with the White House team, reports Entertainment Weekly.

The actor was last seen on screen in the US last night when his character Dr Lawrence Kutner unexpectedly committed suicide.

Penn, who has previously starred as Kumar in the Harold & Kumar films, will now begin working as a liaison between President Barack Obama's administration and arts groups.

"I've been thinking about [moving into politics] for a while. I love what I do as an actor. I couldn't love it more," said Penn. "But probably from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service."

Discussing Kutner's shocking exit from the show, Penn added: "One of the things I love about [House] is you never know what's going to happen.

"So that news struck me in the same way we hope it strikes the audience: there was a little bit of anger and some depression. You really go through those emotions, especially when somebody dies in that fashion."

House executive producers David Shore and Katie Jacobs claimed that Penn's decision to quit allowed them to write an exciting story.

"The suicide was essential to [the story]. The lack of reason behind it - the lack of answers - was what I responded to and is what I got excited about," said Shore.

"House, the man of answers, doesn't have an answer about this guy who he has worked with for two years. It makes him question the most important aspect of himself, which is the ability to find answers. It's the one thing about himself that he feels good about."