‘Fans win. How often does that happen?’ Actor John Reardon returns to ‘Hudson & Rex’

Actor John Reardon is shown during an episode of "Hudson & Rex" in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Rogers (Mandatory Credit)

Elaine Byrne was starting to wonder if the $25,000-plus she spent fighting for John Reardon’s return to “Hudson & Rex” had been a mistake.

The devoted fan took out a full-page Toronto Star ad last year urging producers to bring Reardon back to the popular Canadian cop-dog drama after his abrupt departure. But in recent months, Byrne says financial stress and mounting home repairs, including flood damage, left her thinking about the money she poured into the campaign.

“More than once I’ve had the thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what if I had that money back?’” says the Texas real estate broker, who once found solace in the show after her husband’s death.

But on Thursday came the news she never expected to hear: Reardon is officially returning to the Citytv series.

“Oh, it was definitely worth it to have this as a final result,” says the 75-year-old, fighting back tears.

“My soul is happy again.”

Byrne was among the loudest voices in a worldwide fan movement calling for Reardon’s reinstatement. Viewers flooded the official “Hudson & Rex” social media accounts with comments, emailed producers and launched petitions.

Reardon, who played Det. Charlie Hudson for the show’s first seven seasons, said last year that he didn’t leave by choice. On social media, he explained he was diagnosed with tonsil cancer partway through Season 7 and underwent treatment. Doctors cleared him to return, he said, but “the team chose to go in a different direction.”

The Halifax native was replaced by English actor Luke Roberts in Season 8.

Byrne believes the backlash — as well as fans refusing to tune in — ultimately pushed producers to reverse course.

“Fans win. How often does that happen?” Byrne says.

“I have missed John terribly and I am so happy that they asked him to come back.”

Reardon said in a statement that he’s “excited” to reprise his role as Charlie for Season 9, which begins production in June in St. John’s, N.L.

“The series has earned a passionate audience around the world, and I’m grateful for the continued support,” he said.

The show’s production company Shaftesbury said they are “incredibly pleased” to have Reardon return.

“We know that fans missed him and so did we,” said chairman and CEO Christina Jennings.

Citytv and Shaftesbury did not make Reardon nor the show’s producers available for interviews.

Longtime fan Larry Newton says he believes Reardon’s dismissal after dealing with cancer was a big reason for the viewer backlash.

The 78-year-old from Welland, Ont. says his family regularly watched “Hudson & Rex” and that even after his wife died from cancer a few years ago, the show remained a source of connection.

But when Reardon left, they stopped tuning in.

“At a certain age, everybody has someone in their family that’s gone through an illness, and that’s not the way that you want to treat people,” says the retired teacher.

“If he had said he was stepping down because he didn’t have the energy anymore, then I’d understand. But that was not the case. It’s just not the fair way of doing things.”

Newton says with Reardon’s return, it feels like he’s getting his family ritual back.

He adds that a large part of the actor’s appeal is his relatability.

“I guess you want to use the word ‘real.’ He wasn’t macho. He’s the kind of person I like to think of as a representative of Canada,” he says.

“He stops for a beer. He’s a good guy. The kind of guy you’d like to hang out with, that you’d like to have as a neighbour.”

Reardon’s departure wasn’t the only shock to the show’s dynamic. In Season 7, Diesel, the dog who played Rex, was quietly replaced before his death was made public, leaving fans feeling blindsided.

Canadian TV critic Greg David says Reardon’s reinstatement is a testament to the power of vocal fanbases.

“If you’ve got people that are bad-mouthing you on social media, whether it’s a television show or whether it is a product that you don’t like, companies certainly look at that feedback,” says David, who’s based in Chelsea, Q.C.

Reardon had a reduced role in Season 7 while undergoing cancer treatment, with writers sending Det. Hudson off to Belize in search of his missing brother.

Citytv says Season 9 will see him return to St. John’s “with one final task to accomplish before putting the Belize nightmare behind him.”

The network says Roberts will continue on the show as Det. Mark Hudson.

“It’s going to be really interesting to see the dynamic of Luke Roberts’ character, Mark, having to take a step back because the big dog is back now,” says David.

Byrne has mixed feelings about Roberts returning, but she says having Reardon back eclipses everything else.

“I have a lot of stress these days, but to have this news, it makes everything better. It makes everything more manageable,” she says.

“John Reardon has absolutely no idea what an impact this has on me personally.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2026.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press