‘It Wasn’t Easy’: Chicago Fire Star Opens Up About Surprise Exit Decision

Truck 81 will be down another member this winter.

Fans have seen a lot of Chicago Fire departures over the years, which is par for the course for a show that has been on the air for over a decade. Cast exits may be common, but they often still sting. Now that network shows are returning to the TV schedule this winter, fans will not be immune to saying goodbye to some of their favorites, and, following the announcement of the departure of Kara Kilmer, Alberto Rosende has followed suit with his own post.

For the last four (soon to be 4+) seasons, Rosende has been on Truck 81 fighting alongside his fellow crew members. He’s played Blake Gallo on the series since Season 8, replacing the already departed Yuri Sardorov, whose character Otis was memorably killed off. Unlike Sardorov, it looks like Rosende’s decision was his own to make, though the actor noted in a post on his Instagram Story that “it wasn’t easy,” writing:

When I decided to end my time with Chicago, it wasn’t easy. The people I’ve met were truly special, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime, and story I got to tell was one that made me proud. Can’t wait to see what else is in store and I wish everyone the best in shooting the rest of the season!

News broke on Friday that Chicago Fire will be losing Rosende after the Season 12 premiere, so he’ll be leaving the series very soon. The news comes just a few weeks after we learned longtime cast member Kara Kilmer would also be exiting the series, though her date of exit hasn’t been revealed yet, so it’s unclear if their exits will tie together in any way.

When Chicago Fire kicks off new episodes as part of NBC’s winter schedule on January 17th, on the bright side, Taylor Kinney will be making his long-awaited return to the Fire crew after Severide went off for specialized arson training and went radio silent while away from home. His wife Stella Kidd eventually went to track him down in the Season 11 finale, remarking:

I am taking the next few shifts off. I’m going to get my husband and bring him back to Chicago.

That’s been a plot people have been hotly anticipating a resolution on, particularly as NBC re-aired stuff about Severide’s absence during the WGA strike and SAG-AFTRA actor’s strike. It should distract from the looming exits a bit, and even if it doesn’t I’d be willing to bet NBC will have some big casting news up its sleeve coming up. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about network dramas, it’s that one man’s exit is another person’s acting opportunity.

Related articles

Who’s the New Chief? The Shocking Reason [Spoiler] Is Not Boden’s Successor on Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire Season 13 is going to look very different. It was to be expected, after Eamonn Walker’s departure as Chief Boden. But back when the news was announced,…

Annie Ilonzeh will not return to ‘Chicago Fire’ for Season 9

Annie Ilonzeh, who plays paramedic Emily Foster opposite Kara Killmer’s Sylvie Brett, will not return for Season 9, TheWrap has learned. She was on the drama series…

The host of Chicago Fire says the new season 12 firefighters will cause trouble

Chicago Fire showrunner Andrea Newman has teased the arrival of a new firefighter in season 12 who will cause trouble at Truck 81. Fans have been eagerly…

How Firehouse 51’s Dog, Tuesday, Became the Mascot of Chicago Fire

Every fire station needs a dedicated dog to hold down the fort and, in Chicago Fire‘s case, it was their adorable Dalmatian, Tuesday. The pup stole the hearts…

Chicago Fire says goodbye to Kelly Severide again — Will he return?

Chicago Fire fans had to watch Kelly Severide leave again on Wednesday night. Severide left Chicago Fire in Season 11 under similar circumstances – he wanted to…

‘Chicago Fire’ Introduces New Paramedic to Replace Brett – But Will He Stay?

‘Chicago Fire’ Introduces New Paramedic to Replace Brett – But Will He Stay? It’s hard to imagine Ambulance 61 without Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) after she’s played…