‘Chicago Fire’: Jesse Spencer is back as Matt Casey but fans shouldn't get too excited
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: NBC's drama series 'Chicago Fire' continues to follow both the personal and professional lives of Chicago Fire Department firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics at the fictional Firehouse 51. The show premiered in 2012 and is now in its eleventh season.
According to sources, Jesse Spencer made his exit from the show in Season 10 and asserted that "when it's time, it's time." The actor, who married in 2020, also explained that his priorities had shifted after he married and had a child, which is why he thought that it was time for him to say goodbye to Lieutenant Matthew Casey.
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Matt Casey is back at Firehouse 51 (as a guest)
Jesse Spencer as Lieutenant Matthew Casey, who has been a part of the show since its inception but decided to leave in Season 10, has now been brought back to Firehouse 51 for Season 11, Episode 18, titled 'Danger Is All Around,' to serve on a special task force with Kidd. Matt Casey's storyline had indicated that he would live in Oregon to care for Andrew Darden's sons, but it appears that he is willing to take a detour.
During a recent interview with Deadline, Spencer mentioned that Matt Casey is back because he wants to see everyone at the Firehouse 51 and catch up with Sylvie Brett played by Kara Killmer, and find out if she is single or not. The actor added, “He’s not told her he’s coming, so it’s a bit of a shock to her but they get talking and he finds out that she’s dating someone. But he’s in Oregon, of course, but it feels like his time there is coming to an end. The Darden boys are getting older, doing well, and are moving on. It feels like he’s there to sniff around Chicago and his old flame and maybe rekindle that fire.”
Throughout the episode which aired on April 5, 2023, there seems to be a great deal of speculation about Casey possibly returning to Chicago, but he seems to brush it off with everyone. During an interview with NBC Insider, Spencer said, "The idea when I left the show was that if it was appropriate and it would work with the storyline they wanted to do, I would be open — and they would be open — to bringing Casey back," he said. "The storyline [in Episode 18] does allude to Casey sort of eyeing whether he could actually move back to 51."
Is Jesse Spencer willing to return to 'Chicago Fire' full-time?
The actor, who decided to leave the show after 200 episodes, was asked during an interview with Deadline if he would like to return as a regular cast member, to which he replied that he cannot provide an answer but that he is always open to the idea of returning, contributing that the ball is no longer in his court. Spencer stated that he spoke with the show's co-creator Derek Hass and told him that if there are any episodes where the creators see his character fitting, he will be down for it as he's constantly enthusiastic to see his old crew back and he loves working on the show.
The Australian actor stated lastly, “But in terms of me coming back full time or something, I have no idea.”
Watch ‘Chicago Fire’ on NBC Wednesdays at 9 pm ET and the next day on Peacock.