Eamonn Walker Exits 'Chicago Fire' as a Series Regular
There's been another cast shakeup in the OneChicago universe. According to Deadline, Chicago Fire original cast member Eamonn Walker will step down as a series regular with the conclusion of the show's current 12th season.
Related: 'Chicago Fire' Loses Another Firefighter From Firehouse 51
Walker has played Wallace Boden, the strong and respected leader of Firehouse 51, since Chicago Fire began. His character, who's currently up for Deputy Fire Commissioner, is on a brief leave of absence to tend to a personal matter, but will be back for the Season 12 finale, "Never Say Goodbye," airing May 22. Given the episode's logline, which reads in part, "Boden makes a decision that impacts the race for Deputy Commissioner," it's safe to assume Walker's scaled-back role on the series will be established in the finale.
Deadline further reports that Walker's decision to shift gears was one he made on his own; he won't be killed off of the series and will instead return in a recurring capacity down the line.
Meantime, Severide (Taylor Kinney) has been in charge of the battalion in Boden's absence. Does Walker's exit mean there's a promotion in store for Severide? That's hard to imagine, considering how off-putting our aspiring arson investigator finds the restrictions that come with the job. But, hey, where there's smoke, there's fire!
