“Hudson & Rex” has been renewed for season nine — and Detective Charlie Hudson is back.
Actor John Reardon is returning to star in the popular Canadian police procedural show about the crime-fighting dog Rex and his detective partner at the St. John’s police department. Production begins this June in Newfoundland, with 12 new episodes set to air this fall on Citytv.
“‘Hudson and Rex’ is truly a special series that has built an incredibly loyal and passionate audience around the globe and I’m excited to bring the next chapter to our fans,” said John Reardon in a quote provided to the Star. “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.”
Reardon had a reduced presence in season seven due to tonsil cancer treatment. He said in an Instagram post last September that he wanted to return for season eight, but “the team decided to go in a different direction.” Shaftesbury Productions confirmed to the Star in a statement that they “could not find a workable pathway forward for his return to ‘Hudson & Rex.’” Actor Luke Roberts replaced Reardon as the lead for season 8, playing Detective Mark Hudson.
Season nine finds Charlie making a surprise appearance back in St. John’s, where he must take care of one last bit of unfortunate business stemming from his stint in Belize, after the events of season seven. His return will, per a press release, “create a complicated dilemma for loyal Rex and set off a chain reaction inside the St. John’s Police Department.”
“We’re incredibly pleased to have him return as Detective Charlie Hudson,” said Shaftesbury chairman and CEO Christina Jennings in the release. “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.”
The show has sold to more than 100 territories, making it one of Canada’s most successful current TV exports. “Hudson & Rex” has been a staple on the Citytv schedule for nearly a decade, said Kale Stockwell, Head of Original Programming, Rogers Sports & Media, in the release. “We’re thrilled to bring it back for viewers with John returning as Charlie for another season of action-packed crime-solving drama.”
Roberts will also be returning as Detective Mark Hudson for season nine, though it’s not clear how prominent his role will be, or how he’ll interact with original lead Reardon as Detective Charlie Hudson. Co-stars Mayko Nguyen, Kevin Hanchard and Justin Kelly are also returning.
The show has one of TV’s most impassioned fanbases; Reardon’s departure caused a major outcry among viewers, many of whom expressed their anger in social media posts and comment sections. One Texas realtor even took out multiple newspaper ads pleading for Reardon’s return.
The uproar over the recasting is one of several controversies around the much-discussed show. Production kept the death of original canine star Diesel a secret for six months, citing mental-health considerations for his owner, executive producer and dog master Sherri Davis. The dog’s death was confirmed after viewers began questioning the appearance of new hero dog Dillon in season seven. Earlier this year, the Star published an investigation into an alleged poisoning of the canine stars of the show in 2022.
