New updates have surfaced regarding the possible pregnancy storyline of main character Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) in the sixth season of "Scandal." ABC recently cleared the rumors and squashed the fans' hopes of an Olivia and Jake Ballard (Scott Foley) baby.

Washington's admission that she was pregnant with her second child triggered many discussions on how the show would proceed with the upcoming installment. Many thought her pregnancy would be incorporated in the storyline, which meant Olivia would have been pregnant with Jake's child. The two were inseparable during the season finale as the fixer proved her love for him. To save Jake from her father's Machiavellian ways, Olivia turned the tables around and made her lover a vice presidential candidate in Mellie's (Bellamy Young) ticket. Jake asked Olivia to save him from Eli (Joe Morton) and she did not disappoint him.

A Ballard baby, however, will not be happening, to the regret of many fans. According to Channing Dungey, the network's entertainment president, they would be moving the show to midseason to give way to Washington's condition. This means "Scandal" will not return in the fall. As per Hollywood Life, "Grey's Anatomy" will be at its usual slot at 8 p.m. during the network's Thursday schedule, while a new show "Notorious" will take "Scandal's" spot at 9 p.m. "How to Get Away With Murder" will stay at its original time slot at 10 p.m.

Aside from the huge adjustment, the show's usual 22 episodes will also be reduced to 16. This has reportedly happened before, during Washington's first pregnancy in season 3. At the time, series creator Shonda Rhimes decided not to include the actress' condition in the story. They successfully pulled it off by hiding Washington's baby bump with the signature big bags she sported or by making her stand behind strategically-placed set décor.