Is John Reardon returning to Hudson and Rex?
The official news is out: “Beloved HUDSON & REX returns for Season 8 with Luke Roberts (Game of Thrones, Ransom) as Detective Mark Hudson. Filming in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, premiere in Fall. John Reardon won’t return to series.”
Mixed emotions on our TV Fave! So what’s happening?
HUDSON & REX Season 8 – New Cast Member in TV K9 Police Dog Series
Hudson & Rex is a Canadian police procedural drama television series, based on the Austrian-Italian drama Kommissar Rex.
The original Hudson & Rex police officer was played by John Reardon. His character, Detective Charlie Hudson, was a policeman in the Major Crimes Division of the St. John’s Police Department.
Played by Diesel vom Burgimwald and several of his relatives, Hudson’s K-9 partner Rex is a German Shepherd Dog who is a “highly trained, law enforcement animal” and is not (officially) a pet.
German Shepherd Dogs who are related to Diesel vom Burgimwald have played Rex as his stunt doubles for 8 seasons.
Did Rex of Hudson and Rex pass away? Diesel is the original canine star who played Rex in Canada. Diesel played Rex in seasons 1-6, and episodes 1 and 2 of season 7 until his unexpected death in August 2024.
His nephews and a cousin took over the leading role of Rex starting in season 7, episode 3. Diesel’s relatives had already been acting as stunt doubles for his action scenes, and they will continue to do so in season 8.
“He’s not just a dog, he’s family.” – Charlie Hudson
Cast of Hudson and Rex
John Reardon was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He played in a number of Canadian TV productions, including Arctic Air, Continuum and When Calls the Heart. John starred in the 2024 Hallmark movie Believe in Christmas with his real-life wife, Meghan Ory. Meghan has also appeared on two episodes of Hudson & Rex.
John Reardon was absent from Hudson & Rex for most of season 7 while he recovered from tonsil cancer. He plans on spending more time with his family: his wife and their three children. And being involved in a number of shorter creative projects going into 2026.
John’s character was replaced by a new detective for season 8, played by Luke Roberts.
Luke Roberts (born 1977) is a British/Canadian actor from Suffolk, England. After his early roles in the ITV soap opera Crossroads (2003) and the Sky1 series Mile High (2004–2005), he became known for starring as Joseph Byrne in the BBC One series Holby City (2006–2022) and Woodes Rogers in the Starz series Black Sails (2016–2017).
He portrayed Ser Arthur Dayne in the sixth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones (2016) and starred as the title character in the Global TV series Ransom (2017–2019).
The other essential cast members are slated to return. Mayko Nguyen as Chief of Forensics Sarah Truong. Kevin Hanchard as Superintendent Joseph “Joe” Donovan. Justin Kelly as Detective IT Specialist Jesse Mills.
Kommissar Rex kehrt zurück — New Inspector Rex
A reboot of the popular German-Austrian crime series Kommissar Rex is also now in production. The new series, featuring a new German Shepherd “Rex” and his human partner, is being filmed in Vienna at original locations. The lead actors are Maximilian Brückner (as Detective Max Steiner) and Doris Golpashin (Major Evelyn Leitner). Six 90-minute episodes are being filmed. Hopefully it’ll be shown here, too!
“We deeply miss the original Rex and the original Hudson. But we wish the best for the new Hudson & Rex. Mary Lee and I are fans for life!” – Brian
Reader, Do You love Dog Stories?
See this story of the Wolf who rescued a Husky!
Read WOLFBLOOD — My Most Popular Animal Story: “I LOVE THE HAPPY ENDING!”
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A “dramatic, bighearted wildlife tale” in the Jack London Tradition. Story of a lone Gray Wolf and his quest for a place in the far-flung forests of the feral North. WOLFBLOOD: A Wild Wolf, A Half-Wild Husky & A Wily Old Trapper
“Our philosophy always has been one dog, one handler.” See ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE DOGS: The German Shepherd K9
POSTED: Sunday, July 6, 2025 by Brian and Mary Lee Burhoe. TAGs: dogs – fiction, Cast of Hudson and Rex.
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