Law & Order: SVU: Kelli Giddish to Return for Season 25 Premiere (Exclusive)

Here’s hoping Law & Order: SVU‘s Benson’s still got that stuffed chipmunk around somewhere, because its original owner is making yet another return visit to the precinct.

Kelli Giddish is bringing former Det. Amanda Rollins back to the NBC procedural for its Season 25 premiere, TVLine has learned exclusively. The appearance will be Giddish’s second since she left the show in December 2022; she previously returned for SVU‘s Season 24 finale, which was part of a season-ending crossover between SVU and Organized Crime.

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The last time we saw Rollins, she was pregnant with her third child, which was also her first with new husband Assistant District Attorney Dominick “Sonny” Carisi. Rollins’ pregnancy coincided with Giddish’s real-life one: In June, the actress and husband Beau Richards welcomed a son, Oldie. Giddish also has two sons, Ludo and Charlie, with ex-husband Lawrence Faulborn.

During Giddish’s first foray back into the Law & Orderverse, we learned that Rollins is teaching criminal behavior at Fordham University… and that she’s very bored since leaving the squad. “I love the students, but I do miss the feeling of solving a good mystery,” she told Stabler, who asked her to consult on a case.

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Could that mean that Rollins might slowly but surely be making her way back as a regular presence on SVU? Eh, Carisi might want to hold off on that celebratory zeppole: There’s no word yet on whether Giddish is set to film more episodes this season.

Law & Order: SVU‘s Season 25 premiere will air on Thursday, Jan. 18, at 9/8c, flanked by Law & Order‘s Season 23 premiere at 8 pm and Organized Crime‘s Season 4 premiere at 10 pm. (Get more NBC post-strike dates here.)

What do you think about Rollins’ second return? Hit the comments and let us know!

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