Bosses behind much-loved police procedural Law & Order: Special Victims Unit have revealed how lead actress Mariska Hargitay's recent ankle injury will be written into the show's upcoming 23rd season.
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The 57-year-old actress, who is has been playing Captain Olivia Benson on the NBC drama for more than 20 years, suffered a nasty fall and broke her right ankle last month.
Speaking to TV Line, a representative for the show revealed that while the actress won't be shown walking with crutches on screen, her injury will "be addressed in the season premiere."
WATCH: Are you a fan of Law and Order: SVU?
It means that the action-packed two-hour season 23 premiere that fans have been promised may feature less Liv than originally planned.
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As previously reported, the actress broke her ankle while in the Hamptons in early July. According to Page Six, she fell during a movie screening of Black Widow. An ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital after she tripped in the rain after watching the new Marvel release.
© Photo: InstagramOlivia Benson actress Mariska Hargitay broke her right ankle in July
She shared an update with fans at the end of July and revealed that she was up and walking again with the help of crutches. The TV star could be seen grinning at the camera as she posed with her crutches, leg cast and a t-shirt that read" "It hurt. Thank you for asking."
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It's not the first time the actress has found herself visiting the emergency room in recent months. Earlier this year, she suffered a broken knee, a hairline fracture of her other ankle and a torn ligament. Sharing the news on Instagram, she wrote: "#ThatFeelingWhen, you go to the doctor, get an MRI and find out that you have a broken knee, a hairline fracture in your ankle, and a torn ligament."
There's not long left to go before Law and Order is back on screens. Law and Order: SVU will return for season 23 with its feature-length premiere at 8pm on Thursday 23 September, followed by spin-off Law and Order: Organized Crime's season two premiere at 10pm.
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