Jesse Lee Soffer, who has played Detective Jay Halstead on every episode of “Chicago P.D.,” is getting ready to leave the force.
The actor tells Variety that the upcoming 10th season will be his last on the NBC series and he’ll say goodbye sometime this fall.
“To create this hour drama week after week has been a labor of love by everyone who touches the show,” the “As the World Turns” alum said in a statement. “I will always be proud of my time as Det. Jay Halstead.”
As a trusted ally to Sgt. Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), Halstead has been a key figure during the long run of the Chicago-made police drama. Over the years he’s slowly built a relationship with Detective Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) that culminated in their marriage last season.
“You’re the greatest on-screen husband a girl could ask for,” Spiridakos wrote on Instagram. “I’ll miss being on set with you every day. I can’t wait to see what the world has in store for you next.”
That’s not the only change brewing for the Intelligence Unit. Benjamin Levy Aguilar, who appeared in April as rookie Dante Torres, will become a series regular.
“Chicago P.D.” will begin its new season Sept. 21 along with sister shows “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago Med.”
