Jack is (coming) back! But not as we know him. The creators of 24 are reportedly planning a new prequel series exploring how Jack Bauer – the kick-ass and torture-happy agent previously played by Kiefer Sutherland – became TV’s most-feared counter-terrorism operative.

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Joel Surnow and Bob Cochran, the original showrunners of the Fox drama, are working on the show, which will be potentially an open-ended series, as opposed to the one-shot 24: Live Another Day, according to THR.

Although it’s believed the show will keep the “ticking clock” format which saw Bauer kneecap and upper-cut baddies in real-time, it seems likely Sutherland will be replaced by a younger actor. However, casting hasn’t started yet.

The news is separate from the 'female-led' reboot that was in the works last year – it's not currently known whether that "criminal justice story" will reach screens.

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The original 24 series, which started in 2001, ran for eight series and saw Bauer uncover terrorist plots with help from the likes of analyst Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub). A spin-off series 24: Legacy, in which Bauer didn’t appear, centred on CTU operative Eric Carter, played by Corey Hawkins, but was cancelled after one season.

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Thomas LingDigital editor, BBC Science Focus

Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.

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