Actress Mackenzie Phillips has revisited the circumstances of her sudden departure from the sitcom "One Day at a Time" during a recent fan convention appearance, explaining that a "morals clause" in her contract played a key role in her exit. Phillips, who rose to fame on the show alongside co-stars Bonnie Franklin and Valerie Bertinelli, has previously been open about her long struggle with drug addiction, and her comments add further detail to how that period of her life directly affected her career at the time.

Speaking at Fanboy Expo Knoxville in Tennessee, Phillips linked her abrupt removal from the series to cocaine use, describing how substance abuse behind the scenes ultimately triggered the contractual clause that ended her run on the show. She has separately spoken about drinking wine and using cocaine with co-star Valerie Bertinelli during breaks while filming, offering a candid look at the off-screen struggles that shadowed the popular sitcom's production.