‘The Flash’: Jesse L. Martin Taking Leave of Absence From Show

It looks like things are about to shake up on The Flash. The fan-favorite series is well into its fifth season, but its cast is about to thin out for a bit. According to a new report, Jesse L. Martin will be taking a leave of absence from The Flash due to an ongoing medical concern.

The confirmation came via Entertainment Weekly after TV Line first reported on the leave. The new report confirmed Martin, who plays Detective Joe West, will be taking medical leave after suffering a back injury during the show’s hiatus.

“Jesse Martin is taking a medical leave of absence from The Flash. We wish him a full and speedy recovery and look forward to his return as Detective Joe West,” a representative told Entertainment Weekly in a recent statement.

So far, there is no word on how long Martin will be away from The Flash, but Joe West won’t just disappear out of nowhere. According to TV Line, sources have hinted the character’s absence will be addressed this season. So far, Joe has shown up in Season Five, but Martin has been seated in nearly every scene to accommodate his injured back.

Fans are taking to social media to show their support for Martin, and they hope the actor will be able to return to The Flash soon. After all, Joe has had some big changes to deal with in this season, and the biggest has to do with his daughter. Earlier this season, Joe and Cecile welcomed their first child together and brought Jenna home. Now, the dad is trying to care of a baby while his eldest child is dealing with her time-traveling daughter from the future. Clearly, Joe has got a lot to work through this season, and fans are eager to see where Martin will take the character once he’s feeling better.

Hopefully, The Flash will have experienced a rating rebound by the time Martin makes a return. After a disappointing season premiere, TV Line reported the show took another hit with its following episode. In fact, the show’s viewership dropped by an upsetting 21% overall, and reports seem to indicate those ratings have yet to bounce back.

Are you going to miss Martin while he’s on leave? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.