Taylor Kinney takes leave of absence from 'Chicago Fire' to 'deal with a personal matter'

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Taylor Kinney is stepping away from his hit NBC show "Chicago Fire."

The 41-year-old actor, who has starred on the show for over ten years, is taking "a leave of absence to deal with a personal matter," a source close to the production told Fox News Digital.

Deadline reported that the cast and crew were notified of Kinney's departure on Friday. The series is currently airing its 11th season and script rewrites may be needed to account for the actor's leave of absence.

Taylor Kinney is stepping away from his hit NBC show "Chicago Fire." (Art Streiber/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

A representative for "Chicago Fire" declined to comment. Kinney's representative did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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Kinney has played Chicago firefighter Lieutenant Kelly Severide since the show debuted in October 2012. "The Vampire Diaries" alum has also made appearances in all the other installments of Wolf Entertainment's "One Chicago" franchise including "Chicago P.D.,""Chicago Med" and "Chicago Justice."

Though Kinney's character formerly known for being a "ladies-man," he married fellow firefighter Lieutenant Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) in the season 10 finale last May. The series aired its season 11 winter premiere on Jan. 4 but the show is on a planned hiatus until Feb. 8.

Kinney is taking "a leave of absence to deal with a personal matter," a source close to the production told Fox News Digital. (Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

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Last week, Kinney reflected on his first audition for "Chicago Fire" during an interview with NBC. 

"I was in the circuit of auditioning a lot, so I was decent at it," he said. "I remember never having any anxiety. I was excited about it, and then you kind of leave it up to the powers that be,"

"It went well, and 10 years later I’m still here bugging you through your televisions while you fold laundry," the Pennsylvania native joked.

"Chicago Fire" airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Kinney has starred as Chicago firefighter Lieutenant Kelly Severide on the hit NBC show since its premiere in 2012 (Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

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