How Kelli Giddish Returned to ‘Law & Order: SVU’ in Season 26

variety.com:

Ethan Shanfeld Kelli Giddish returned once again to “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” after departing the show as a series regular in 2022.

In the third episode of Season 26, titled “Divide & Conquer,” her character, Detective Amanda Rollins, comes back into the fold — and has a heartwarming reunion with her former partner, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay).

In Season 24 of the NBC procedural, Rollins married ADA Dominick Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino) and resigned from the Special Victims Unit to accept a teaching position at Fordham University.

She returned as a guest star in a later episode of Season 24 and in two episodes in Season 25. Coming back for Season 26, Rollins is now working as a sergeant for the NYPD Intelligence Bureau. “Sergeant!” Benson says as she and Rollins embrace in the hallway. “Your first city-wide briefing in the intelligence division, huh?” “Captain,” Rollins says sweetly. “Yeah, last time I was at one of these things was with you.” Rollins then introduces Benson to her new partner, Detective Corgan, played by John Clarence Stewart.