“Chicago P.D.” is losing one of its original officers. Jesse Lee Soffer, who has played Det. Jay Halstead since the show’s first season, will be leaving early in Season 10, which premieres next month on NBC.
“This is sad but true. Just want all the fans to know how grateful I am. You guys are why we do it! It has been an honor. Love you all,” Soffer said on Twitter after news of his departure broke Monday night.
“I want to thank the incredible fans for their unwavering support during the past 10 years and want to express my deepest gratitude to Dick Wolf and everyone at Wolf Entertainment, Peter Jankowski, Matt Olmstead, Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, Rick Eid, Gwen Sigan, NBC, Universal Television, my fellow castmates and our incredible crew. To create this hour drama week after week has been a labor of love by everyone who touches the show. I will always be proud of my time as Det. Jay Halstead,” Soffer said in a statement.
Variety first reported his exit from the series.
Created by Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead, “Chicago P.D.” is the second installment of Wolf’s One Chicago franchise of TV shows set in the city. It followed “Chicago Fire,” which launched in 2012 and also includes “Chicago Med” and the short-lived “Chicago Justice.”
