Modern Family character death finally revealed — and fans aren't happy

Nolan Gould, Ariel Winter, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen and Sarah Hyland play the Dunphys in Seven's US comedy series, Modern Family. Photo / Supplied

WARNING: SPOILERS

The makers of long-running sitcom Modern Family have, for months now, been teasing that a "significant character" would be killed off during the show's 10th season.

All was revealed today as the episode aired in the United States — but after all that hype, the big reveal has left many fans disappointed, news.com.au reports.

And a warning: spoilers ahead.

The departing character is Delia 'DeDe' Pritchett, Jay Pritchett's ex-wife, the mother of Claire Dunphy and Mitchell Pritchett and the grandmother of Haley, Alex, Luke and Lily.

East coast and central, a new #ModernFamily starts in 7 mins! 👀 pic.twitter.com/qJshLKX4ne

— Rico Rodriguez (@StarringRico) October 25, 2018

She's played by actress Shelley Long, and if you're a casual Modern Family viewer who doesn't remember her too well, that's because she's appeared in just seven of the show's 214 episodes to date.

Despite the show itself declaring her a "beloved" character on social media today, DeDe has been portrayed as aggressive, manipulative and inappropriate during her time on Modern Family, and is only really close with one other character on-screen: Her son, Mitch.

Shelley Long (centre) as DeDe. Photo / Supplied

After months of hyping up the "significant death," many viewers were left asking just one question: Her?

The Modern Family death is not nearly as dramatic as I thought.

— Chris Martin (@cree_martin1) October 25, 2018

that was the modern family death? man i'm disappointed

— pochi (@adeIedazeem) October 25, 2018

I feel like this particular “death” was a cop-out and maybe a significant character is going to die later on in the series leaving us in shambles?? #ModernFamily but then again it’s a comedy. @ModernFam pic.twitter.com/3gRwsrR2rY

— Allthings_naomiwatts (@baeomiwatts) October 25, 2018

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the series' co-creator, Christopher Lloyd said they are "handling some bigger life events" during this season, death included.

It is "certainly a topic that families have to deal with, and on television, it's not easy to do because that's a heavy subject," he explained, adding that "at the same time, it would seem unusual for a family not to go through it".

"(The death) will be a moving event — and an event that has repercussions across several episodes," he said.