There's a Serious Explanation Behind Charlie's Absence From 'Hudson & Rex'

Over the course of seven seasons, Hudson & Rex has entertained a loyal fan base who fell in love with the main characters from the moment they first appeared on television. The adventures of Detective Charlie Hudson (John Reardon) and his loyal German Shepherd kept viewers on the edge of their seats since 2019.

Shockingly, fans noticed a major change to the seventh installment of the procedural series.

Charlie Hudson was barely seen in the seventh season of the show. Considering how the character led the program since its inception, it was easy for fans to wonder what happened to the fearless detective. Why was Charlie Hudson mostly absent from the seventh season of Hudson & Rex? Here's what we know about the situation that kept John Reardon away from the cameras.

John Reardon always loved being a part of Hudson & Rex, but an unfortunate development caused him to take a break from the series. According to ComingSoon, the actor was diagnosed with tonsil cancer. By the time he received the devastating news, John had already started working on the new episodes of the show. He had to step away to start treatment.

The good news is that as of February 5, 2025, John is cancer-free and has been cleared to go back to work, according to the caption to his Instagram post.

The rest of the Hudson & Rex cast included Mayko Nguyen, Kevin Hanchard and Justin Kelly. These were the performers responsible for carrying on with the show's storyline, while the character of Charlie Hudson was sent on a far away mission to justify John's absence from the project.

Even while his presence on Hudson & Rex was limited, John knew how to make the most out of what could have been the emotional end of his tenure as Charlie.

The seventh season of Hudson & Rex raised the stakes for Charlie Hudson, but John Reardon gave his best effort since the first time he played the character. The first mission the detective and the loyal dog carried out was locating a kidnapped girl.

Back in 2019, Citytv hoped that Hudson & Rex could become a network television landmark, with the rest of the industry dealing with the arrival of the streaming era.

By the time Hudson & Rex reached its fourth season, the drama had almost reached 1 million viewers per episode, according to Numeris. It's clear that people couldn't get enough of Charlie Hudson and his colleagues. The viewership numbers and the fact that the series reached a seventh season are a testament to the demand for Hudson & Rex.

Fans of the show know that John Reardon is as brave as the detective he portrays on the screen.

According to PlaybackOnline, Hudson & Rex has been aired in more than 100 countries since it premiered. Fans from all over the world will be rooting for John Reardon to stay healthy, knowing that the show will never be more important than the well-being of its star.