"Scandal" season 4 spoilers hinted of a massive change involving the gladiators as creator Shonda Rhimes is not keen on replacing controversial cast Columbus Short.

Shonda Rhimes revealed "Scandal" season 4 spoiles to TVLine when she was asked if they would add another series regular to replace Harrison (Columbus Short).

"Not yet.... I have no plans to do so, yet. When we left [off in the Season 3 finale], were there any gladiators?" she said.

The premiere, which airs on September 25, will resume about two-and-a-half months later from the season 3 finale and begin with Fitz's second inauguration, she said.

In another interview, Shonda Rhimes dished out "Scandal" season 4 spoilers toTVGuide : "When we leave, she's on a plane headed to God knows where. When we come back into the season, we find ourselves is a surprising place both time-wise and location-wise," she said.

She said that more focus will be given on the core cast of the show.

"One of the things that we did specifically when we created the show is slowly deploy people's stories. It was purposeful. Season 4 is Abby's season. That was by design," she said. "A lot of what we know about Abby happens this season. A lot of what we discover about her and see about her back story will happen as we tell Abby's story."

As to the romance between Olivia and Jake, with Fitz shadow looming over them, Shonda Rhimes has this to "Scandal" season 4 spoilers: "I always think about the finale when she says to him very clearly, 'I am in love with another man.' And he says, 'Let's go anyway.' He goes off with her knowing full well that she's very clear about her feelings for somebody else.

In "Scandal" season 4, the producers and writers of the show will focus more on the "case of the week" format, The Hollywood Reporter said.