Jennifer Love Hewitt Is Leaving Criminal Minds After Only One Season

Thomas Gibson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Criminal Minds | Photo Credits: Monty Brinton/CBS

[Warning: The following contained spoilers from Wednesday's episode of Criminal Minds. Read at your own risk!]

Jennifer Love Hewitt is leaving Criminal Minds after a one-year arc on the CBS drama.

Criminal Minds showrunner Erica Messer confirmed her exit to Entertainment Weekly, following Wednesday night's Season 11 finale, which saw a pregnant Kate Callahan (Hewitt) hand over her resignation after a near-tragedy involving her niece Meg, explaining that she wanted to take time off to focus on her unborn child.

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Messer said that Callahan's decision very much mirrored Hewitt's own. The actress wanted time off to focus on her second pregnancy and child, who is due in July. "There was an opportunity there to write towards the truth," Messer said. "Jennifer wanted to be able to give this second baby everything she gave her first, and that's taking time off to be a full-time mom."

Messer added that the door is "definitely open" for Hewitt to one day return if desired.

Tune in to the Criminal Minds season finale tonight at 9/8c on CBS.

Will you miss Callahan? Sound off in the comments.

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TODAY'S VIDEO: Criminal Minds: Who kidnapped Meg?