When is NCIS season 18 release date? How to watch in the UK

The upcoming series, which faced major delays due to COVID-19 last year, finally made it into production despite the pandemic and began airing back in November over in the US.

With the 400th episode coming up and a special time-travelling episode yet to come, it sounds like season 18 will be full of surprises for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

David McCallum, Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Emily Wickersham and others will be returning to investigate another round of Navy-related cases, however viewers will be saying goodbye to one particular cast member.

Here's everything you need to know about NCIS season 18 – from how to watch it in the UK and when it is arriving on our screens.

NCIS season 18 release date

While series 18 of NCIS premiered in the US in November, the long-running detective show's latest season is finally arriving in the UK!

Airing on FOX UK over here, NCIS season 18 will being airing on Friday 22nd January at 9pm.

NCIS season 18 spoilers

With the show approaching its 400th episode, NCIS has something big planned for its 18th season – a flashback episode featuring a young Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Ducky (David McCallum).

The milestone episode, which was meant to air in the spring but was postponed due to COVID-19, will take fans back to the early days of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs' career and his longtime friendship with retired medical examiner Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard.

As for other episodes in the series, season 18 will pick up from where the previous season left off and won't be addressing the coronavirus pandemic, according to CinemaBlend.

Fans should also expect to say goodbye to Jack Sloane (Maria Bello), as the show will be wrapping up her storyline within the first eight episodes of NCIS season 18, Deadline reported in July.

Earlier this year, CBS announced that NCIS' 17th season was to be cut short after the COVID-19 pandemic forced filming on the series to halt, resulting in just 20 episodes airing.

In September, the cast and crew did their first table read for series 18 via Zoom, with star Wilmer Valderrama posting on Instagram: "The first table read to #NCIS's season 18 feels like the beginning of a road to progression, as we get closer to bringing our show back to your homes."

NCIS season 18 cast

Mark Harmon (The West Wing, St. Elsewhere) will of course be returning to play special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, alongside David McCallum as Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard,Sean Murray as Timothy McGee, Wilmer Valderrama as Nicholas Torres, Emily Wickershamas Eleanor Bishop, Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer, Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance and Diona Reasonover as Kasie Hines.

Maria Bello, who's played Dr Jacqueline 'Jack' Sloane since season 15, will be appearing in the upcoming series, she'll be leaving after eight episodes, while recurring star Cote de Pablo, who plays Ziva David, is unlikely to appear this season after she flew to Paris to reunite with Tony (Michael Weatherly) and their daughter at the end of season 17.

NCIS season 18 trailer

CBS released a trailer for season 18 earlier this year, teasing the long-running detective show's return.

While the short clip doesn't give much away, it does reveal that there is a "federal agent in possible danger" in the upcoming season, while a criminal targets the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

• NCIS stars reveal challenges of filming season 18 in a pandemic: "Everything has completely changed"
• NCIS star on series future: "I hope we get to do it for as long as it’s good"

NCIS returns on Tuesday 17th November. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.