Veteran actor Mark Harmon has revealed the reason behind his departure from the long-running CBS series NCIS in 2021 and expressed interest in potentially reprising his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the upcoming prequel series, NCIS: Origins. Harmon, who is an executive producer on NCIS but hasn’t played Gibbs since season 19, cited “the right timing” as a factor in leaving the show.
The 72-year-old actor expressed his appreciation for the storyline and character development during his time on the show, stating he was thrilled with how it was handled. However, he declined to confirm whether he would reprise his role in an on-screen capacity, saying, “I’ve always let the writers do what they want to do.”
Harmon emphasized that his decision to leave NCIS is about feeling fulfilled and complete with a role, adding that what drew him to the character was its complexity and challenge. When asked about Gibbs’ current whereabouts in the NCIS universe, Harmon suggested the character is living in Alaska.
The news comes as both NCIS and NCIS: Origins are set to go on hiatus from December through January, sparking an outcry among fans who will not receive new episodes during this period. The hiatus was implemented to reduce reruns.
Source: https://www.irishstar.com/culture/entertainment/ncis-cbs-mark-harmon-origins-34214624