Jennifer Love Hewitt is leaving Criminal Minds.

The actress, who joined the long-running CBS drama on Season 10, is pregnant in real life and asked producers to write her character out in order for her to spend more time at home with her family.

And this is exactly what took place on Criminal Minds Season 10 Episode 23, as Kate Callahan tendered her resignation to Hotch following a near-tragedy involving her niece Meg.

Like the woman who portrays her, Callahan is pregnant on the series.

“There was an opportunity there to write towards the truth,” showrunner Erica Messer tells EW.

“Jennifer wanted to be able to give this second baby everything she gave her first, and that’s taking time off to be a full-time mom."

Might Hewitt return in some capacity at some point? It's possible, Messer said.

But she's contemplating a "revolving door” approach at the moment to fill this new BAU vacancy, though it's likely a new series regular will eventually come on board.

Criminal Minds has already been picked up for Season 11 by CBS.

15 Lovliest Ladies of Law Enforcement

Start Gallery

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.