Jorja Fox’s “CSI” character, Sara Sidle, survived a harrowing run-in with a killer in Thursday’s season premiere, but now it seems Fox is a goner.

Reports at TVGuide.com and EOnline.com yesterday have Fox leaving the crime series in November. Her contract expired in May, and there’s been speculation for months that she would exit the show. Fox was nearly fired in 2004 over a contract dispute.

Word of her departure came just as CBS was celebrating big numbers for Thursday’s telecast, which averaged 25.2 million viewers. A time-slot rival, ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” averaged 20.9 million.