Mark Harmon, or probably more recognizable now as NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, will not leave the long-running CBS police procedural series. A recent rumor about his supposed exit from the show was dismissed by the actor’s rep.
The latest buzz about Harmon’s health came from Celebrity Insider. The report claimed that the 67-year-old actor lost more than 20 pounds after going through a knee surgery, which purportedly led to a “medical scare” in 2017.
However, it is important to note that the same story about Harmon’s health had also been published by Radar Online last year. The tabloid even quoted an anonymous source that said, “Because of his tough rehabilitation [from the knee surgery], he has lost weight. But he’s doing great.”
Since Mark Harmon is undeniably the center of the “NCIS” storyline throughout its 16-season run, he is also one of the usually rumored cast members to leave the show. Add to that a recurring report about his supposedly dwindling health, and the actor is almost always reportedly planning to bid his farewell from the CBS show.
A spokesperson for Harmon responded to the recent rumor and said the “failing health” claims aimed at the actor “is completely false,” Page Six reported. Meanwhile, CBS is yet to comment on Harmon’s future in “NCIS.” But CarterMatt said Harmon has already signed to reprise his role as Gibbs in “NCIS” season 17.
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Posted by NCIS on Wednesday, December 5, 2018
It is also very unlikely that Harmon is exiting “NCIS” for health reasons as the actor’s screen time in season 16 does not seem to be lesser than the previous installments. If such health rumors are true, there would have been signs that the actor would opt to slow down. But aside from leading the cast of the original series, he continues to work as its executive producer as well as on its spin-off series “NCIS: New Orleans.”
Instead of reducing the amount of work he has, Mark Harmon has reportedly taken on another major project with CBS. He is also one of the executive producers signed for the TV series adaptation of John Sandford’s “Prey” novel series. Gibbs and his team returns for “NCIS” season 16 on Tuesday, Jan. 8.
