In the criminal justice system, one character’s exit was considered especially heinous.

This is the story of Kelli Giddish, whose character Amanda Rollins was rewritten into Law & Order: SVU after fans expressed their heartbreak over her 2022 departure.

“I appreciated the protest,” Giddish told E! News in an exclusive interview. “I really, really did. It really touched my heart to know that people were missing Rollins.”

And, as she pointed out, “It worked. I’m back. I’m back as a regular.”

Detective Amanda Rollins exited SVU in the middle of season 24 back in 2022. At the time, her character married Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino) before leaving law enforcement behind to become a teacher at Fordham University.

Rollins, however, made an epic return in season 27, once again becoming a full member of the SVU squad.

“The episodes have been so good this year already,” Giddish raved to E!, “and it’s just—it’s thrilling to be back already with the cast that I know and love, and the crew that I know and love.”