John Reardon Is Set to Return to “Hudson & Rex” After Cancer Recovery and Surprise Ouster: 'I'm Excited'

Breanne L. HeldmanThu, May 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC

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John Reardon and dog actor Diesel Vom Burgimwald in 2023
Credit: JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty -

John Reardon will reprise his role as Detective Charlie Hudson for Hudson & Rex season 9

Reardon stepped away during season 7 for tonsil cancer treatment and was absent from season 8 despite "a clean bill of health"

Season 9 will begin filming in June in Newfoundland and feature returning cast members alongside Rex, now played by Diesel's relatives

Hudson is officially returning to Hudson & Rex.

PEOPLE can confirm that John Reardon will be stepping back into his title role of Detective Charlie Hudson and reuniting with his beloved canine partner, Rex, for the hit Canadian procedural's ninth season, which will begin filming in June.

"Hudson and Rex is truly a special series that has built an incredibly loyal and passionate audience around the globe," Reardon said in a statement to PEOPLE. "I'm excited to bring the next chapter to our fans. I'm looking forward to working with the cast, crew, creative team, production, and network partners as we move ahead, and I'm grateful to the fans for their continued support."

Hudson & Rex season 9 key art

Reardon's last appearance on the show was in season 7. He filmed several episodes in 2024 before receiving a tonsil cancer diagnosis, which forced him to step away for treatment. In September 2025, Reardon, 50, revealed he would not be returning to the show for season 8.

"I didn't leave Hudson & Rex," Reardon wrote on Instagram. “After taking a couple months to go through cancer treatment, I was given a clean bill of health and cleared and ready to return to work. But the team chose to go in a different direction."

The news of Reardon's return follows the online outcry that ensued as fans watched the show without him. (Luke Roberts stepped in as Mark Hudson — no relation to Charlie — to work with Rex, the show's canine crime-solver.)

"I'm excited to step back into the role of Charlie as Hudson and Rex moves into its next chapter," said Reardon, who shares three children with his wife, Sullivan's Crossing actress Meghan Ory. He also noted that he's looking forward to "sharing more adventures with Rex and the fans."

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“John is a talented actor and we're incredibly pleased to have him return,” Christina Jennings, the chair and CEO of the show's production company, Shaftesbury, said in a statement. “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.”

John Reardon in season 7 of Hudson & Rex
Credit: SBS On Demand

The new installment, which films in St. John's, Newfoundland, will be 12 episodes and include returning cast members Mayko Nguyen (Dr. Sarah Truong), Kevin Hanchard (Superintendent Joseph Donovan), Justin Kelly (Tech Analyst Jesse Mills) and Roberts (Detective Mark Hudson).

Of course, Rex will be there too, though the dog who originated the role of Rex, Diesel vom Burgimwald, died of cancer during season 7. His nephews, Dillon and Dante, and other relatives have been playing the part ever since.

Per Citytv, "When viewers last saw Charlie Hudson, he was heading to South America in search of his missing brother, Jack. Next season will see Charlie shocking everyone with his return to St. John's with one final task to accomplish before putting the Belize nightmare behind him. Charlie's return creates a complicated dilemma for loyal Rex and sets off a chain reaction inside the St. John's Police Department."

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Hudson & Rex season 9 will premiere on Citytv in Canada in the fall. Season 8 premieres in the U.S. on Thursday, June 11, on UP Faith & Family.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”