This is not a drill: Jesse Spencer is headed back to Chicago Fire, E! News can confirm.
Despite only just leaving the NBC firefighting drama during season 10, the actor behind Matt Casey will be returning for season 11 as co-star Taylor Kinney embarks on his temporary leave of absence.
According to Variety, Jesse will make his return in the upcoming 18th episode of the season after most recently appearing in the season 10 finale. He initially departed the Dick Wolf series to focus on his family, though he has since filmed Last Days of the Space Age for Disney+.
A source close to production previously told E! News that Taylor, who plays Kelly Severide, is dealing with a personal matter. The cast and crew were informed of his exit on Jan. 20, with scripts reportedly being rewritten to accommodate his break, per Deadline.
Taylor, Jesse and more castmates celebrated the series’ 200th episode in 2021. “I think that speaks volumes to the leadership from the top down,” Taylor shared. “It’s genuine, we all really get along. There’s no bad apples. It really has become like a surrogate family.”