After more than two decades on air, NCIS has seen plenty of high-profile departures — Gibbs, Ziva, Tony, and Abby among them. But Emily Wickersham’s exit as Ellie Bishop flew surprisingly under the radar. Introduced after Ziva and guided by McGee, Gibbs, and DiNozzo, Bishop grew into one of the team’s most trusted agents.
Her 2021 departure shocked fans, revealing she had been preparing for a deep undercover assignment. She hasn’t appeared since — but Season 23 is hinting that her story may not be finished.
Season 23 Hints at Bishop’s Return
Sean Murray recently teased that a “familiar face… not seen in a very long time” could resurface. CBS then released details for the midseason finale, Heaven and Nature, which follows Knight on her first NCIS: Elite mission tracking down a former team member. Several past agents could fit that description, but Bishop’s unresolved undercover arc makes her the strongest possibility.
New Clues Add to the Buzz
Speculation intensified after NCIS: Origins co-showrunner David J. North shared photos of Wickersham visiting him at Paramount in October. While Origins is a prequel and unlikely to feature Bishop, the timing has fueled talk of a return to the main series.
With lingering storylines and growing hints, momentum is building around one idea: Ellie Bishop may be closer than ever to stepping back into the world Gibbs once trained her for.