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9-1-1 shocks fans with surprising return of former character

Catch up on 9-1-1 on Hulu

Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
3 May 2024
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9-1-1 returned to screens on May 2 with a shocking appearance of one character - Jennifer Love Hewitt's husband Brian Hallisay, as her character Maddie Buckley's abusive ex-husband Doug Kendall, who had been murdered in season two. 

In 9-1-1 season seven episode six Maddie and her fiance Howard 'Chimney' Han were set to get married. However, the episode opened with Chim missing, and Maddie's brother Buck (Oliver Stark) revealing that Chim had never turned up to his own bachelor party. 

With the groom now MIA, the 118 helped Maddie to find out what had happened to Chim – while at the same time, viewers were watching the paramedic lose his mind due to a bacterial infection that was causing memory loss and hallucinations. 

Brian Hallisay and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 911
Brian Hallisay and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 911 season 2

The hallucinations saw Chim imagine Doug – who Maddie had murdered in self-defense in the second season – join him in his journey around Los Angeles as he attempted to get to work at a karaoke bar where he was previously employed before joining the LAFD. 

In season two, fans saw Doug, using an alias, befriended Chim to get closer to Maddie, before stabbing Chim and kidnapping Maddie. Chim's actions have long haunted him, and it was clear that he was still traumatized by the events five years prior as he fought to make his way back to his family in the new episode. 

Kenneth Choi as Howard 'Chimney' Han in 9-1-1
© Chris Willard
Kenneth Choi as Howard 'Chimney' Han in 9-1-1

Brian also returned in season six during a coma dream experienced by Buck, where he was living in a world where he never became a firefighter. 

Jennifer and Brian tied the knot back in 2013 and share three children: one-year-old son Aiden, son Atticus, seven, and nine-year-old daughter Autumn. The 9-1-1 actress has kept their identities hidden on social media ever since she welcomed Autumn James, 10, Atticus James, eight, and Aidan James, two, with her husband. 

View post on Instagram
 

But to mark the upcoming release of her memoir, Inheriting Magic: My Journey Through Grief, Joy, Celebration, and Making Every Day Magical, Jennifer put her kids front and center on the cover.

 The cover was designed by an artist Jennifer loves, and sees the actress posing with a magic wand in one hand while holding a spell book spilling out multiple bright colors in the other. Her youngest son, Aidan, also holds up a wand while Atticus pours a potion into a cauldron, and Autumn carries a stack of holiday items.

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