When Chicago P.D. returns to NBC in just a few weeks for its 10th season, it will soon be time to say goodbye to one of the 21st District’s own. Jesse Lee Soffer will be exiting the series after portraying Detective Jay Halstead for nine years.
Variety exclusively reported that Soffer will exit sometime this fall, though the exact episode is unknown. “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,” Soffer said in an official statement. “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.”
The reasoning for his exit is unclear, but fans have fallen in love with both Soffer and Jay, as well as the detective’s relationship with Tracy Spiridakos’ Hailey Upton, otherwise known as “Upstead.” The two characters got married in a spontaneous and small courthouse ceremony this previous season, so how his exit affects that will be a storyline to look out for. In addition, with Jay having a brother, Will (Nick Gehlfuss) on Chicago Med, fans can likely expect a storyline to bleed into that series as well depending on how his exit plays out.
Season 10 of Chicago P.D. premieres on Wednesday, September 21 at 10 p.m. EST on NBC. If you ever want your Jay Halstead fix, all seasons are streaming on Peacock, with new episodes streaming the day after they premiere. Stay tuned to Nerds and Beyond for more news!
