NCIS star Michael Weatherly played fan-favorite agent Tony DiNozzo in the popular police series for 13 years, leaving the show in 2016.
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But what exactly was the actor's reason for bowing out of the drama and will he be returning anytime soon? Find out here…
WATCH: Michael Weatherly's Tony DiNozzo says his goodbyes to the NCIS team
Shortly after his exit was announced back in 2016, Michael revealed that he had started to consider departing the programme after his co-star and on-screen love interest Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva, left.
Speaking about the chemistry between their two characters, he told TV Insider: "Their great dynamic, the badinage and sparring and flirting between those two characters and how they would swing from siblings to near lovers and back to buddies. That was gone, and then I got to the point where I felt I'd stayed at the party for too long.
He continued: "I would look around the room and other people were really in sync and having fun. The show was a huge success, but I just suddenly realized that I probably had other things that I should be doing. And then the wanderlust set in. I directed a documentary. I have a production company. And I wanted to spend time with my family."
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He then went on to star in legal drama, Bull, which ran for six seasons before its end in May earlier this year.
© Photo: Getty ImagesMichael starred on the show for 13 years
So, does this mean Michael will be reprising his NCIS role anytime soon?
Back in September, executive producer Steven D. Binder gave an update on whether the actor might return to the drama at some point.
"Wouldn't that be great?" he told TV Line. "When [Michael] left NCIS, he said to me, 'I am never going to do network television again.
"He had just had some kids, and the hours are so long… but then this Bull thing landed in his lap, and again he was working like a fiend. So I suspect — forgetting Tony DiNozzo for a minute — that Michael Weatherly is on vacation. I've known him for a while and I think he needs to chillax and go someplace tropical. I haven't spoken to him about that but we've talked over the years, and that's my guess."
© Photo: Getty ImagesMichael's other show, Bull, aired its final season in May
While Steven doesn't sound too hopeful, Michael hasn't explicitly said that he will never return to the show.
Back in May, Michael shared a TV Insider article that asked: "NCIS: Will Michael Weatherly return for a guest spot with 'Bull' ending?". He captioned the tweet: "End of @BullCBS tonight, I'm reflecting on 22 years of TV. From Dark Angel & @NCIS_CBS it’s been a fantastic experience; worked w/ thousands of actors & hundreds of directors. I'm taking some time to look back on it all. And always the question: @tvinsider."
We've got our fingers crossed but it looks like fans will just have to wait and see.
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