John Reardon Returns to Hudson & Rex for Season 9
john reardon is returning to Hudson & Rex for its ninth season after being replaced in Season 8. Citytv announced the move on Tuesday, resetting the show’s lead just as production is set to start again in St. John’s, N.L.
Reardon was the original star of the cop-dog procedural, and English actor Luke Roberts stepped in during Season 8. The reversal gives the series back the face viewers associated with Charlie Hudson, after a fan backlash that spilled across social media and into full-page newspaper ads.
Reardon and Charlie Hudson
Partway through Season 7, Reardon said he was diagnosed with tonsil cancer. Last year, he wrote on social media that he did not leave by choice, said doctors had cleared him to return, and said the team chose to go in a different direction.
That history is what made the replacement matter beyond a casting swap. The show had asked viewers to accept Charlie Hudson without the actor who originated the role, and the response was immediate enough that fans flooded the series’ social accounts and paid for newspaper space to push for his return.
June in St. John's
Reardon said in a statement that he is excited to step back into the role of Charlie. He added, “The series has earned a passionate audience around the world, and I’m grateful for the continued support,” and said, “I’m looking forward to beginning production on the new season with the cast, crew, creative team, production, and network partners — and to sharing more adventures with Rex and the fans.”
Christina Jennings, chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury, said the company is “incredibly pleased” to have him back and added, “We know that fans missed him and so did we. We look forward to getting back to work and bringing fans an exciting new season,” which turns the return into a practical reset for the series as it heads into a new production cycle.
Charlie’s St. John's return
Citytv says production for the new season is scheduled to begin in June in St. John’s, N.L. When viewers last saw Charlie Hudson, he was heading to South America in search of his missing brother, Jack, and next season will bring him back to St. John’s with one final task before he can put the Belize nightmare behind him.
For the show, the move is straightforward: restore the original lead, begin shooting in June, and use Season 9 to repair the break created in Season 8. For viewers, the message is sharper still — the version of Hudson & Rex that drew the strongest response is the one getting the next run of episodes.
