NCIS fan favorite Tony DiNazzo is making an unexpected return to the show.
CBS has announced that Michael Weatherly will reprise his role as Special Agent DiNazzo in the show’s 24th season.
“We’ve missed this one... welcome back, old friend!” the NCIS-verse Instagram shared alongside a video of Weatherly smiling.
“I’ll see you in the fall,” the 57-year-old actor added at the end.
NCIS star Katrina Law commented, “❤️❤️❤️.” Stars Sean Murray and Brian Dietzen also commented, celebrating their co-star’s comeback.
Weatherly first appeared as DiNozzo in JAG, a two-part pilot, going on to star in NCIS as the character for 13 seasons. He also appeared in other specials in the franchise, including NCIS: New Orleans and NCIS: Los Angeles. He left the show in 2016 to appear in CBS’s Bull as the titular character until 2022.
The actor then led the NCIS Paramount+ spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which was canceled after one season.
During his time on Bull, Weatherly was accused of sexual harassment by co-star Eliza Dushku. Dushku received a $9.5 million secret settlement from CBS.
Weatherly’s NCIS co-stars Pauley Perrette and Sasha Alexander leaped to his defense after the accusations were made public.
Weatherly issued an apology to the New York Times, saying, “During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script. When Eliza told me that she wasn’t comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized. After reflecting on this further, I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza.”
CBS has not provided any more information about DiNozzo’s return, but said that it will be a season-long arc, reports USA Today.
The news comes days after it was announced that Mark Harmon will also reprise his role as Gibbs in NCIS: Origins.
