#Maria Bello Is Reportedly Leaving ‘NCIS’ in Season 18

Sonja Flemming/CBS

NCIS is said to be saying goodbye to another cast member in its upcoming season.

Maria Bello is leaving after eight episodes, Deadline reports, at which point, Season 18 will conclude her story as Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane. (The actress had signed a three-year contract and debuted as the forensic psychologist in Season 15’s fourth episode, “Skeleton Crew”.)

But what will be part of Jack’s exit? We have to see something with Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), considering the two have been dancing around each other, but her departure suggests that an actual relationship isn’t in the cards. Plus, as executive producer Frank Cardea previously told TV Insider, Gibbs “has things to work on with himself before he’s ready to work on a relationship.”

Jack also got to know the daughter she gave up for adoption, Faith Tolliver (Kate Hamilton), and the two have slowly but surely been building a relationship. (It was especially heartbreaking when Jack revealed Faith’s father had raped her.) We have to imagine that Hamilton will be back for at least one of her Bello’s last episodes, even if Faith isn’t tied to Jack’s exit storyline.

NCIS ended its 17th season early when production shut down, and some episodes, including the milestone 400th, are slated to roll over into the fall.

NCIS, Season 18, Fall 2020, CBS