‘Law & Order: SVU’ Alum Chris Meloni Has ‘No Plans’ to Return

Christopher Meloni is shutting down all hope of his return to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

The actor, who left the series after season 12, broke fans’ hearts Tuesday after he answered some questions regarding his possible return to the NBC crime procedural to celebrate the show’s landmark 20th season.

“Do you have any plans to come back to [SVU] in honor of the 20th season? (Even if only for a few minutes at the end of an episode.),” one fan asked the actor.

“I have zero plans for that,” Meloi wrote in his response.

Many fans reacted to the actor’s comment, expressing their sadness and still missing his iconic character, Elliot Stabler.

“Imagine if you got paid every time someone asked this question…” one commented.

“I would love to have Stabler back but it wouldn’t work or be believable. The things Benson has been through since he left; well if he was going to come back into her life he would have done it by now. [Chris Meloni] has moved on and clearly so has Elliot. Sorry guys,” another user concluded.

Meloni even answered another fan, who asked “Do you enjoy hurting me?”

“No but perhaps the truth does,” Meloni wrote in response.

“You broke my heart, but [I’m] still loving you,” another user commented.

“You should make plans,” another user wrote.

Back in 2017, Meloni told Entertainment Tonight he would consider returning to the series and reprise his role of Elliot Stabler should the storyline work out. He would also return for the eventual series finale.

“I have always said I would be open to it,” Meloni said. “[The] circumstances have to be right, that is all.”

“We will see [if I return for the series finale],” he added. “It has never been brought up to me, so that is the kind of question that’s kind of out of my hands.”

Meloni has kept himself busy over the years, playing recurring roles on other shows like HBO’s True Blood and FX’s Pose. However, the actor frequently delights fans when he reunites with former co-star Mariska Hargitay with a selfie on social media.

Law & Order: SVU will return with new episodes on Jan. 10 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.