Chicago Fire is currently in its 11th season. However, actor Taylor Kinney will not return to the series… at least not anytime soon. Deadline reports that the 41-year-old actor informed NBC network officials that he would be on hiatus from the show due to a "personal matter." That personal matter has yet to be disclosed by Kinney or the network. What is apparent is that the series will see him written out for an uncertain period.
Fans of the hit series will know that Kinney has been a part of the show since it originally aired in 2012. Kinney plays the heroic and charismatic firefighter Kelly Severide. The hit TV series portrays the private and professional lives of a Chicago-based Fire Department's firemen, emergency responders, and paramedics. The series proceeds season one, in which an experienced firefighter named Andrew Darden dies. There becomes a rift in the ranks as Lieutenant Matthew Casey and Lieutenant Kelly Severide place the blame for Darden's death on the other.
Further details about Kinney's further involvement in the show have not been divulged by anyone involved with the series. Fans of the show are already lamenting his absence as they flock to social media to express their concerns and well wishes.
Night Court: NBC Show Draws in Impressive Viewership
Another longstanding hit show for NBC, alongside Chicago Fire, is the rebooted series Night Court. According to a recent report from Deadline, Night Court has become one of the network's highest-watched comedy debut series for NBC in 5 years. According to Nielsen, the original episode was the most viewed program in its time slot, while its second episode ranked number 2 in viewership. The show has also received generally favorable reviews since its premiere.
If you don't know, the first season of the NBC drama Night Court ran from 1984 through 1992. It received numerous Emmy nominations and four wins for actor John Larroquette as Dan Fielding in the best supporting actor category. The show took place at a Manhattan municipal court's night shift, which included a mix of eccentric personalities like the haughty prosecutor Dan Fielding and the upbeat Judge Harry Stone.
In the new series, viewers follow judge Abby Stone played by actress Melissa Rauch, as she oversees the evening session of a Manhattan arraignment court and works to maintain discipline among the staff. Making his triumphant return to the series is Larroquette as Fielding.
Night Court airs on NBC on Tuesdays at 8 pm (EST).