TV Shows

‘Law & Order: SVU’: Kelli Giddish Returning for Multiple Episodes During Season 26

Giddish left ‘Law & Order: SVU’ as a series regular in the middle of Season 24 in 2022.
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LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT — "Prima Nocta" Episode 25011 — Pictured: Kelli Giddish as Amanda Rollins

Kelli Giddish is returning to Law & Order: SVU yet again. After the actress left the long-running NBC drama in the middle of Season 24, she’s made several appearances as Amanda Rollins. That will luckily continue in the upcoming 26th season. Executive producer Julie Martin confirmed to TVLine that “Rollins is definitely coming back to the show.” Added showrunner and executive producer David Graziano, “She’s coming as a guest star, and she’s going to make a bunch of appearances throughout the season. We’re really happy about it.”

Giddish most recently popped up in a Season 25 episode that aired in May, with Rollins and Benson working together once again, just like old times. While she won’t exactly be working with the Special Victims Unit again when she returns, Rollins will actually be working with the NYPD’s Intelligence unit, “which is very different from the Intelligence Unit anywhere else, because the Intelligence Unit in New York has cops stationed in almost every country in the world,” Graziano shared. “And so, Rollins is going to be traveling a lot as part of that job.”

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LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT — “Mirror Effect” Episode 24002 — Pictured: (l-r) Kelli Giddish as Det. Amanda Rollins, Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson

With Rollins traveling, it will give Peter Scanavino’s Dominick “Sonny” Carisi a chance to fly solo as a parent since his wife will be away and he will be at home with three kids. Graziano teased, “We’ll see Carisi and his daughter get involved in something together that they’ll kind of have to work their way out of.” It seems like Rollins’ absence won’t be so easy for Carisi or their kids, but it should be fun to see more of him being a dad because that doesn’t happen very often.

While Rollins will be traveling the globe, she will be appearing in more than one episode for Season 26. As of now, that number is unknown, but knowing that Kelli Giddish will be returning is enough to get fans excited. Even though it isn’t better than Giddish being on the series full-time, it is definitely better than nothing. As for when exactly she will make her first appearance in Season 26, that is also unknown. It won’t be long until Law & Order: SVU Season 26 is here. The new season premieres on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC’s 2024 fall schedule following the Season 24 premiere of Law & Order.