NCIS star Emily Wickersham break silence on her surprise return to the series

NCIS returned for Season 23 on October 14, 2025, and before the show went off for the mid-season break, the fall finale of December 16, 2025, brought back an old regular character to the show. The show follows federal agents who investigate crimes connected to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Set mainly at the Washington Navy Yard, the series combines procedural cases with the personal lives of the agents.

As NCIS Season 23 unfolds, viewers probably have no clue that they are in for a major surprise. Emily Wickersham, who played Ellie Bishop in earlier seasons, is making an unexpected return as the target of Jessica Knight, and the actress has now openly addressed her return.

NCIS Season 23 brings Ellie Bishop back

The fall finale of NCIS Season 23, Heaven and Nature, had a twist that probably no one saw coming. Just before the show went on its winter break for the 2025–2026 television broadcast season, the show revealed the return of a former regular. Ellie Bishop's return added new energy to an already busy year for the Major Case Response Team.

Season 23 of NCIS has made various callbacks to its earlier seasons. With more than twenty years on air, the series has many past characters it can bring back in meaningful ways. After Roma Maffia appeared again as an older Vera Strickland, the comeback of Bishop felt more impactful, given that she had a strong emotional connection with the team.

Emily Wickersham addressed her return by commenting on a video posted on Instagram by Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Nick Torres. In the clip, Valderrama is seated in a filming chair. When he is called to step away, the chair is revealed to be Wickersham’s, confirming that she's back to filming the show. Wickersham responded in the comments with the emojis,

🙋🏼‍♀️🏴‍☠️

While it is just a couple of emojis, it does confirm her openly acknowledging her return. The reveal being posted by Valderrama made it especially meaningful. On NCIS, Torres and Bishop were close partners and nearly became a couple. Ellie Bishop left MCRT because she had been secretly training as an undercover agent, and after completing her final test, she chose to leave without saying goodbye. This decision deeply hurt Torres and left their relationship unresolved. Having Valderrama be the one to hint at her return made it special, especially for fans who loved their dynamic.

While exact plot details are still under wraps, according to executive producer Steven D. Binder, Bishop’s return is closely connected to Torres. In an interview with TVInsider, Binder said,

"And we thought bringing Bishop in for Torres at this particular moment would upend an apple cart that’s coming down the pike after this episode airs and put a very interesting spin on it. Plus, he never got the closure that he felt he needed. And it was an abrupt departure. I think the details of it, why Bishop did what she did, become a little more clear in this episode, but he’s a fully-fledged human and this is a moment that he’s been wanting to have and we were happy to finally have an opportunity to give it to him."

Torres and Bishop's past makes this return particularly important. Torres and Bishop shared a complicated romance on NCIS, similar to that of Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David. However, unlike that pairing, Bishop and Torres never received proper closure. Her exit was sudden and painful. We'll see what Bishop’s return truly means for the team when the show returns for the rest of the season.

NCIS Season 23 will return with new episodes on February 24, 2026.

Trending

For more articles like this, follow Soapcentral.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback