Taylor Kinney returns to Chicago Fire for season 12 after absence

His absence led to much fan speculation over his future in the show, especially as he didn't make a return in the highly anticipated season 11 finale.

But according to Deadline, the first batch of scripts for the new twelfth season do indeed feature Kinney’s Kelly Severide. As stated: "His future appearances beyond that are not confirmed, but I hear the actor’s return is expected to be full-time."

It's been a noticeable absence on the show, especially as Kinney has been a mainstay in Chicago Fire since its debut in 2012, going on to become the series lead after Jesse Spencer's exit as Matt Casey. Spencer did return for two guest appearances in season 11 to fill the void left by Kinney, with Spencer having spent 11 years as a previous main cast member.

The last we saw of Kinney's Severide in the series was in the episode Run Like Hell, with the following episode explaining that Severide had been sent off to attend arson-investigation training. The random departure left fans wondering about his storyline, especially as Severide and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) had just tied the knot in season 10.

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While plot details are obviously being kept under wraps for now, we do know that the Chicago Fire writers room opened in the first week of October.

Due to the ongoing actors' strikes in the US, a release date for season 12 has not yet been confirmed, but season 11 co-showrunner and executive producer Andrea Newman will lead the upcoming season.

There's also a lot of ground to cover in the new season – least of all, the fate of Randall ‘Mouch’ McHolland (Christian Stolte). We last saw the series regular flatlining in hospital following a gunshot wound in the dramatic season 11 finale, so he may not live to return for the next season.

Chicago Fire is available to watch on Sky and NOW in the UK. You can sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now.

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