Emily Wickersham’s character, Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop, made her final credited appearance as a main cast member in NCIS during Season 18, Episode 16, which aired in 2021. Although her character played a role in the plot of Season 21, Episode 2, Wickersham’s appearance was uncredited, leaving fans eager to know if she might return to the show.
Why Did Emily Wickersham Leave NCIS?
Wickersham portrayed Ellie Bishop for eight years, from 2013 to 2021. Initially, she didn’t provide much explanation for her departure. However, during a recent appearance on the Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch podcast, hosted by fellow NCIS alums Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, Wickersham opened up about her decision to leave.
“Because as you guys know, it’s all-consuming,” Wickersham recalled about her time on the show. “Your life is all NCIS when you’re on that show. It’s all day, every day, and you’re not really left with much time to do many things outside of that. So that was a real adjustment for me.”
She reportedly left NCIS on her own terms, and a month later, she discovered she was pregnant. Reflecting on her life immediately after leaving the show, she said, “So it was a combo of decompressing and trying to really relax and figure out how things were going to be without work.”
What Happened to Ellie Bishop in NCIS?
Ellie Bishop was introduced as a replacement for Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David and quickly became an integral part of Gibbs’ team. She eventually left the team after admitting to leaking a classified NSA file years earlier and subsequently joined former CIA instructor Odette Malone on a new mission.
Could Emily Wickersham’s Ellie Bishop Return to NCIS?
It’s unclear whether Wickersham will ever return to NCIS as Ellie Bishop. However, given that other actors, including Weatherly and de Pablo, have reprised their roles over the years, the possibility can’t be ruled out. If there’s a suitable narrative opportunity and Wickersham and the showrunners can reach an agreement, fans might see Ellie return to the NCIS team.
