Taylor Kinney Will Not Return for ‘Chicago Fire’ Finale

Chicago Fire fans were hopeful that “Kelly Severide” might return to Firehouse 51 for the Season 11 finale. However, actor Taylor Kinney, who plays Lt. Severide on the popular Dick Wolf procedural, will not be back for the season finale of the NBC drama, according to Variety. There is some good news for ChiHards, though, as fan favorite Jesse Spencer, who had left the show last season, will make a guest appearance in the final episode, reprising his role as Matt Casey.

The season finale is expected to air at 8 p.m. Central on Wednesday, May 24th.

Will Taylor return for Season Twelve? The answer to that question will not be answered anytime soon. For now, Kinney remains away from the show to deal with a personal matter, as announced in January.

A Look at Taylor Kinney’s Success on the Show

Kinney has been a fan favorite from the beginning. He has been nominated three times for a People’s Choice Award for his work on the series. The actor won in 2015. Here is a quick look back at his acceptance speech for the award…

Kinney’s character Kelly Severide is a member of Rescue Squad 3. His character had been woven into his share of romances over the first ten seasons of the show, but has recently been in a more stable relationship with Stella Kidd, played by Miranda Rae Mayo. They were married in an epic wedding ceremony at the end of season 10.

Jesse Spencer, who exited the series in 2021 after a decade on the firefighter drama, returned to stand alongside Kinney for the Season 10 finale titled “The Magnificent City of Chicago” that aired last May.

Here’s a look back at the Stellaride wedding…

In one final clip for this article, Kinney and fellow cast members recount their favorite episodes from the show’s storied run, which continues to go strong and lead the ratings charge for NBC on Wednesday nights…

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Photo Credit: Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC