‘S.W.A.T’ Star Jay Harrington Finally Speaks on Being Left Out of Spinoff(
‘S.W.A.T’ Star Jay Harrington Finally Speaks on Being Left Out of Spinoff
After the cancellation of S.W.A.T. and the surprise announcement of a new spinoff led only by Shemar Moore, fans were quick to notice one thing: most of the original cast—including Jay Harrington—were not included. Harrington has now publicly addressed how he felt about being excluded.
“I didn’t see it coming at all”
Jay Harrington, who played Deacon for all eight seasons, said the spinoff was never discussed with him beforehand.
He explained that:
He had no idea a spinoff was in development
He found out only shortly before the public announcement
Even during filming the finale, there was no indication the story would continue in a new form
For him, the ending felt like a normal series conclusion—not a setup for a continuation.
“It wasn’t on my bingo card”
Harrington admitted he was genuinely surprised by the direction the franchise took:
He said the spinoff was “not on my bingo card”
He expected either full cancellation or a possible group revival—not a single-character continuation
The sudden shift left him caught off guard emotionally and professionally
How he felt about being left out
While Harrington was careful not to attack anyone directly, he was honest about the emotional impact:
He felt disappointed by the lack of communication
He believed the situation could have been handled with more transparency
He acknowledged that industry decisions aren’t personal—but still sting
In short, he didn’t frame it as betrayal, but as a missed opportunity for better respect and clarity toward the cast.
His tone toward Shemar Moore
Despite the disappointment, Harrington remained respectful toward Shemar Moore:
He emphasized they have a long working relationship and friendship
He didn’t express anger toward Moore personally
His criticism was directed more at the rollout and studio process, not the actor leading the spinoff
Would he return?
Interestingly, Harrington didn’t close the door completely:
He suggested he would be open to returning in some capacity
This could include guest appearances or directing episodes
He still values the franchise and his character’s legacy
Bottom line
Jay Harrington’s reaction can be summed up simply:
He was surprised, slightly disappointed, but professional about it—and while he wasn’t included in the new direction of the franchise, he hasn’t ruled out returning in some form.
