NCIS SEASON 18 will be released later this year. But will it see Leroy Gibbs find love once again?
Leroy Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) has not been lucky in love over the past 17 seasons of NCIS. With several failed marriages as well as the heartbreaking deaths of three ex-partners, fans have been left wondering if Gibbs will ever find love again. Ahead of the 18th season dropping on CBS, one of the show’s producers has revealed what could happen next.
Will Leroy Gibbs ever find love again on NCIS?
Fans of NCIS will know Gibbs has always struggled in the romantic department.
In total, the head of the crime-solving team has been married four separate times.
However, he has also had to deal with a fair share of tragedy in his personal life.
As viewers will remember, two of Gibbs’ ex-wives have died, alongside his ex-fiancé.
Gibbs’ first wife Shannon Fielding (Darby Stanchfield) was killed along with his daughter Kelly Gibbs (Mary Mouser) by Mexican drug dealer Pedro Hernandez (Thomas Rosales Jr).
Another of his partners killed in a tragic storyline was Diana Sterling (Melinda McGraw) who was shot by Sergei Mishnev (Alex Veadov) in season 12.
The third of his partners previously killed was Major Ellen Wallace (Erin Cummings).
She was found dead in season 16 and as the team investigated her murder, it was revealed she had previously been engaged to Gibbs.
With such a tragic past behind him, viewers have been hoping the beloved character might be able to find love again.
Some fans thought Gibbs might have a romance with Jack Sloane (Maria Bello) after the pair had a fair share of flirtatious moments.
However, despite this building up between the characters over the past few seasons, it does not seem like it will be in the cards.
This is because their potential romance has seemingly been scuppered by Maria Bello’s exit from the series.
According to Deadline, she will be leaving during season 18, which makes it unlikely love is on the cards.
There is a possibility Gibbs might find a new love in the upcoming outing but one of the producers has warned fans to not hold their breath.
Frank Cardea opened up about this in an interview with TV Insider back in June.
The publication asked the executive producer about Gibbs’ and Sloane’s chemistry.
In response, he said: “He has things to work on himself before he’s ready to work on a relationship.”
Fans will know Gibbs has been through a lot in the past few outings and it seems the writers are planning to focus on his personal development.
Cardea also revealed a bit more about what’s next for Gibbs in another interview with the publication back in April.
The producer spoke about the season 17 finale and how it shows a new side of Gibbs who is opening up more.
He said: “The Gibbs this past season, maybe the past two seasons, is a character that’s been opening up.
“Gina [Monreal, executive producer] took it to a whole new level in this episode, that he’s going to start talking about his feelings. We’re seeing a softer side to Gibbs, for sure.”
Viewers will have to tune into the new season to find out just what this means for the beloved character.
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