A fan-favorite character is making a return to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and it’s none other than Kelli Giddish’s Amanda Rollins. Giddish will return for the next new episode of SVU, which will air on NBC on May 2nd. The new episode is titled Prima Nocta, and will have Rollins returning to the team to help with the investigation into a serial rapist that is targeting brides. The promo teaser for the new episode features Rollins firing some shots at a practice target and then talking to the team inside the squad room, and then we see her talking to the rest of the team, where she says “who would want to ruin someone’s happiness”. You can watch the promo in the video below.

The show disappointed many when Giddish was let go from the show back in 2022, though the character was given a happy send-off. She was then brought back the following season and featured in the Organized Crime and SVU crossover episodes. It was actually Elliot Stabler that brought her back into the fold, asking if she was happy and bringing her on as a consultant to their case. Since then she’s appeared a few times, and now she will return to help her old friends once again.

At the time of the departure news, Giddish addressed it on Instagram. Giddish wrote, “To everyone who supported Rollins – THANK YOU!” Mariska Hargitay also commented on her post, writing “I love you lady. Now and forever!❌⭕️❌⭕️.” You can find the full post and all the photos below. When reports indicated Giddish was exiting the series, she issued a statement that confirmed the news and also thanked all the people she worked with on the show during her twelve years on the series.

“I wanted to address the chatter I’ve seen online and let everyone know that this will, indeed, be my last season on ‘Law & Order: SVU.’ Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life. I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of the ‘Law & Order’ family for the last 12 years. There is simply no other character on TV like Rollins. She’s grown and changed, and I have as well. I started on this show when I was in my late 20s and I’m grateful I got to spend so many of my adult years with Rollins in my life.”

“I want to thank Dick Wolf, Mariska Hargitay, Peter Jankowski, NBC, Universal Television, all of my co-stars, every single member on the crew and all the writers here for our incredible work together these last 12 years. I’m so excited to take all the things I have learned in my time on ‘SVU’ and put them toward everything that’s next to come,” Giddish said.

Law & Order and SVU were just renewed for new seasons, and Organized Crime has reportedly been renewed and moved to Peacock, though that has yet to be officially confirmed. Law & Order will be entering its 24th season, while SVU will enter its 26th season.