[Editor's Note: TVWW contributor Donna J. Plesh died April 2, 2015, from ovarian cancer. She was 71. Donna covered television since the early 1980s, initially for the Orange County Register and its TV magazine. She also was a member of the Television Critics Association. Donna was always a cheerful spirit within the TVWW network and often gave readers a kind, up-close viewpoint in her interviews with a wide variety of television stars. She will be missed.]

CBS’ hit summer series Under the Dome will be back next summer. The announcement was made Monday by CBS President and CEO Les Moonves, who fielded questions from TV critics and writers during the network’s presentation at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.

Dome, a drama about a small town that suddenly becomes covered by an invisible dome, is based on a Stephen King novel. Moonves added that King would write the first episode of next summer’s series.

In response to a question about the departure of Cote de Pablo from the network’s hit Tuesday night drama series NCIS, Moonves said de Pablo wanted to leave the show. He said the actress, who joined the series in 2005, was offered a lot of money, “then we offered her even more money,” but that it was “purely her decision” to leave the show.” Fans of the actress, who has played special agent Ziva David on the show, have been campaigning to keep her on the show, even reaching out to TV critics and writers to help them in their quest.

Questioned on another matter, Moonves said he also said he found the derogatory racist comments made earlier this month by some of the contestants on the network’s reality series Big Brother to be “personally appalling.” The show is hosted by Julie Chen, who is Moonves’ wife.

Moonves appearance at the CBS session was as a last minute replacement for CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler who was unable to attend because of the death of a close friend.