Kiefer Sutherland Will "Definitely Not Return in Any Way" For More 24 Episodes

Here's some sad news for fans of Jack Bauer and the terrorism drama 24: star Kiefer Sutherland just told the BBC that he will "definitely not return in any way" for any future incarnation of 24, including a continuation of the show or the proposed spin-off that was revealed a few months ago.

In a nice piece about Sutherland's new western film Forsaken, in which he acts opposite his dad (Donald Sutherland) for the first time, the actor made it crystal clear that he wouldn't be back to reprise his role as Bauer in any way, saying "24 is definitely over now for me."

"It's one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given as an actor, but it's moving on without me, I want to do other things.

I want to do more television. My experience of 24 was unbelievable, but the main benefit was that it was nice to do something that people actually watched, and that they enjoyed.

There are some movies I've made people might have enjoyed, but there were nine of them watching. And so 24 was so refreshing - the most significant thing was that it was accessible to a lot of people and to know they enjoyed it was so rewarding for me.

I don't think there's a better medium than television out there at the moment. So think I want to do more of it and look for projects where I can repeat my experience.

You have to take your time though to find something like it - and that means you have to work less. So I'll be waiting for something that's worth it, with the potential for the kind of audience access that 24 had."

Earlier this year, Fox was considering another season of 24 but without Sutherland's Bauer involved, and then that developed into the idea of a spin-off centered on a younger male lead with Sutherland "weaving in and out as a guest star." But now it seems that Sutherland has thought better of it, and he sounds like he's finally made the decision to stop shouting at terrorists to tell him what he needs to know. Damn it.