Real-life Hallmark couple John Reardon and Meghan Ory are celebrating the best plot twist they’ve encountered in a while.
After revealing Reardon’s arduous tonsil cancer journey in late 2024 and learning weeks later that he’d been cut from his hit series, “Hudson & Rex,” the actor revealed on May 28, 2026, that he’s returning to the show. He and Ory, who starred together in Hallmark’s 2024 holiday movie “Believe in Christmas,” have expressed their relief over the turn of events, and their fans are over the moon.
John Reardon Will Return to ‘Hudson & Rex’ Alongside Actor Who Replaced Him
In a social media announcement on May 28 featuring Reardon, 50, and the pup now playing Rex, Canadian network Citytv announced that the actor will return “as Charlie Hudson in an all-new season” this fall. In the U.S., the show airs on UP Faith & Family.
Reardon last starred in season 7, while actor Luke Roberts played a different detective, Mark Hudson, in season 8, which will get its U.S. premiere on June 11 via UP Faith & Family, per TV Insider. Roberts will also return for the 12-episode ninth season, the outlet reported.
“Hudson and Rex is truly a special series that has built an incredibly loyal and passionate audience around the globe,” Reardon told People as news broke of his return. “I’m excited to bring the next chapter to our fans. I’m looking forward to working with the cast, crew, creative team, production, and network partners as we move ahead, and I’m grateful to the fans for their continued support.”
Ory, who currently appears in “Sullivan’s Crossing” and both starred in and produced Hallmark’s 2025 movie “A Christmas Angel Match” opposite Benjamin Ayres, shared the People article in her Instagram Stories and wrote “#gratitude ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️” over the screenshot.
Fans & Friends Joyfully React to John Reardon’s ‘Hudson & Rex’ Return
HallmarkOry wasn’t the only one to express relief and joy over the good news. Several of their Hallmark pals did, too, including Ayres, who commented, “Dude, this is great news. Congrats brother. 💪”
“When Calls The Heart” star Pascale Sutton chimed in, “Congratulations John!!!! ❤️” while other Hallmark fan-favorites liked Reardon’s post, including Kevin McGarry, Victor Webster, and Laura Vandervoort.
Fans were especially thrilled — including many who said they’d boycotted the show or petitioned producers after Reardon was axed during his cancer treatment. One wrote, “NO WAY!!!!! Yas. I can watch again. The show is NOT the same without you @johnny_reardon_ Best news to wake up to. ❤️🐾🐾”
Another admitted, “I almost cried when I read this amazing news” while someone else gushed, “John Reardon you have made a lot of your fans extremely happy. You have made my year. You were really missed as l did not watch the show after season 7 episodes 1 &2 only watched re-runs of prior seasons. You are a very special human being and wonderful actor! ❤️❤️❤️”
What Happened to John Reardon & His ‘Hudson & Rex’ Co-Star
GettyOn Christmas Eve 2024, Reardon revealed he’d been undergoing treatment for tonsil cancer and gave a big Instagram shout-out to his family — Ory, their three “brave” kids, his parents, and siblings — for supporting and caring for him “even when it was hard for me to get out of bed.”
Weeks later, on February 5, Reardon excitedly informed fans that, after taking a break from filming the popular crime drama he’d starred in since 2018 to undergo treatment, he’d been declared cancer-free and was “cleared to go back to work in full capacity!” He fully expected to return to set, writing, “The show has truly been the dedication of my last 7 years as well as my family’s who continue to support me in the endeavor to bring you more shows.”
But to his surprise, Reardon later learned producers had replaced him with another actor. In September, he wrote on Instagram, “I’ve been quiet for a while — partly because it was hard to find the words, and partly because I didn’t want anyone else speaking for me. The truth is: I didn’t leave Hudson & Rex.”
“After taking a couple months to go through cancer treatment,” he continued, “I was given a clean bill of health and cleared and ready to return to work. But the team chose to go in a different direction. Although this is not how I had hoped the 7 year journey would end – I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to play a part in building something special.”
Sadly, the dog who played Rex — a German shepherd named Diesel vom Burgimwald — died unexpectedly before Reardon got his cancer diagnosis. Weeks after suffering a ruptured spleen, trainer Sherri Davis told the Toronto Star, Diesel died at age eight. He had already filmed the first few episodes of the seventh season, the outlet reported, but the cast and crew kept his death quiet, using Diesel’s nephews as stand-ins.
Reardon is expected to start filming season nine with a new German Shepherd co-star in June, per People.
