After taking some time away from the show, “Chicago Fire” star Taylor Kinney is returning to Firehouse 51.
Kinney’s fan-favorite character, Lt. Kelly Severide, will appear in Season 12 of the NBC series following his brief absence last season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The publication reported Oct. 31 that scripts for the upcoming season include Severide. However, THR said it is unknown if Kinney is only returning for a few episodes or if he will be back for the entire season.
Production on Season 12 is delayed due to the current SAG-AFTRA strike, but the “Chicago Fire” writers started working on new scripts after the writers strike ended in September, THR said.
TODAY.com has reached out to NBC for comment.
Since “Chicago Fire” premiered in 2012, Kinney has been one of the main stars on the firefighter drama, so fans were surprised to learn in January that he was temporarily stepping away from the show in the middle of its 11th season.
Variety reported at the time that the 42-year-old actor was taking a break from the series to handle a personal matter.
Kinney last appeared on the drama in February in an episode titled “Run Like Hell.” Tom Van Meter (Tim Hopper) explained Severide’s absence from the team in the following episode, called “Damage Control.”
Van Meter said that Severide temporarily relocated to Alabama to attend an arson investigation training program.
“A last-minute opening like this is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Van Meter told Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker). He then reassured Wallace — and viewers at home — that Severide wouldn’t be gone for too long.
“It doesn’t mean he’s planning a transfer to OFI. And I know it’ll be a burden on this house for a while. But the expertise Severide will bring back here to 51 will benefit the whole department,” Van Meter said.
When the Season 11 finale aired in May, Severide did not reunite with the Firehouse 51 team, but another beloved character made a cameo. Jesse Spencer, who played Matt Casey for 10 seasons before exiting the show, returned for two episodes during Season 11.
Both Kinney and Spencer have popped up on other “Chicago” series as well, like “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med.” During an appearance on TODAY in October 2022, Kinney spoke about the “Chicago” franchise and the city feeling like “home” to him for the past 10 years.
“I’ve been here over a decade and the city’s been good to me,” he told TODAY’s Al Roker.
In June, Kinney supported his “Chicago Fire” family after co-star Treat Williams, who played his father on the show, died in a motorcycle accident.
“He played my father on ‘Chicago Fire,’ and was a father figure to everyone on set. I’ll always relish our conversations and his uncanny ability to light up a room. We all send love, he will be missed,” he said to People in a statement.
He also expressed his condolences to Williams’ family.