Jennifer Esposito Is Coming Back to Blue Bloods After Her ‘Ugly’ Fallout With CBS — Is She Returning For Good?

Blue Bloods is CBS’ long-running procedural that follows the fictional Reagan family who are deeply involved with law enforcement in New York City. Blue Bloods premiered in September 2020 and is wrapping up its 13th season. TV Insider reported in March 2023 that the show was renewed by CBS for Season 14. The show stars Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Will Estes, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Abigail Hawk, Vanessa Ray and more.

Jennifer Esposito plays Jacqueline “Jackie” Curatola, a detective in the New York City Police Department. In Season 1, she joined the cast as a series regular as Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg)’s partner. Unfortunately, her time on the show has been overshadowed by drama surrounding Esposito’s exit in 2012. In October of that year, the actress requested “a very limited part-time schedule” for Season 2 because she was battling Celiac Disease, according to TV Line. Esposito told Fox News Channel’s FOX Files that her doctor advised that she seek a reduced workload because of her struggles with Celiac. Esposito claimed that rather than accommodate her request, CBS kept her contract and suspended her without pay.

“Look, they have a job that they need done. I get it,” she said to FOX Files. “You don’t think I can do it in the two or three days that I am offering in that… work space of eight days? Then I get it, you have to replace me. But that’s not what happened. What happened was ugliness.” The Blue Bloods actress revealed that she collapsed on set twice, first when she exited the shuttle van and second when she was in the makeup trailer. “The [assistant director] came in and said, ‘I’ll get the medic,’ and we were like, ‘There is nothing [to do], unless he can cure me of Celiac disease. This is what we’ve been trying to tell you.’ They had to carry me into the car and bring me to the doctor, where I [was] for seven hours.”

CBS responded with a statement shortly after Esposito’s accusations. “Jennifer has informed us that she is only available to work on a very limited part-time schedule,” CBS TV Studios said, according to Deadline. “As a result, she’s unable to perform the demands of her role and we regretfully had to put her character on a leave of absence.”

In response, Esposi to reiterated to the public that she was treated unfairly by CBS. “CBS put me on unpaid leave and has blocked me from working anywhere else after my doctor said you needed a reduced schedule due to Celiac. CBS didn’t listen to my doc and I collapsed on set. Which everyone saw!,” she said in a statement on Twitter, according to TV Line

. “ After a week off my doc said I could return to work but CBS implied that I was not truly ill and this was a scheme to get a raise! It’s been almost two months without bringing me back to work + keeping Me from working anywhere else!… Absolutely shameful behavior.” In January 2013, TV Line reported that Jennifer Esposito was now on permanent leave and would not return to Blue Bloods to reprise her role as Curatola.

But, after it was revealed that Jennifer Esposito would reprise her role on Blue Bloods after the controversy, fans were shocked but also excited. Is Jennifer Esposito coming back to Blue Bloods for good? Keep reading to find out.

Is Jennifer Esposito coming back to Blue Bloods for good?

Is Jennifer Esposito coming back to Blue Bloods for good? The truth is that we’re not sure. It’s unknown whether Esposito will return for future episodes or if this is a one-off appearance. It was announced that Jennifer Esposito will reprise her role for the Season 13 finale of Blue Bloods, which airs on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 10 p.m. on CBS.

In the episode, she’ll reunite with Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg), who she previously said was a pleasure to work with. “We had so much fun. I think they needed to make us separate because that’s how much fun we had. We would be cracking up and dancing right before a take… You’re on set so long especially doing a drama on TV like this. I mean you’re there long, long hours and he was wonderful,” she said about Donnie on People TV’s Couch Surfing.

The synopsis for “Forgive Us Our Trespasses,” reveals that Danny and Baez (Marisa Ramirez) will team up with his former partner (Jackie Curatola) who is now Chief of Police, to investigate a murder. The last time we saw Jackie Curatola on Blue Bloods was in Season 3, Episode 7, “Nightmares.” After the detective was shot on the job, while she was in recovery, she decided that she wanted to take a leave of absence from law enforcement due to stress. When Danny visited her in the hospital, she told him that she was resigning and the two said their goodbyes. Her vague exit in Season 3 did leave some flexibility for Jackie to return one day – and it looks like she finally was invited back a decade after her public criticism of CBS.

Blue Bloods airs on Fridays at 10 p.m. on CBS.