William Petersen To Take A Break From 'CSI'

In the July 31 - Aug 6 issue of TV Guide, CSI executive producer Carol Mendelsohn revealed star William Petersen is taking a break from the show.

The actor, who plays front-man Gil Grissom, will be absent from CSI for a couple of episodes due to professional commitments. Petersen, an avid theatre fan, will be busy this fall in Providence starring in Trinity Repertory Company's stage production of Conor McPherson's A Dublin Carol.

The writers have already penned down a storyline that'll help explain Grissom's absence. According to Mendelsohn, this plot will, "push Grissom to an emotional place, requiring a sabbatical of sorts."

To absorb the impact of Petersen's absence, however, the producers plan to cast a big-name guest star to fill in Grissom's vacancy. These Grissom-free episodes will air during January, and the actor will be back just in time for February sweeps.

Pick up the July 31 - Aug 6 issue of TV Guide to read the original article. Thanks to Toots in the message boards for the transcript.

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