The CW has announced that actor Jesse L. Martin, who portrays the character of Detective Joe West on The Flash, is taking a leave of absence from the DC superhero show due to medical issues.
“Jesse Martin is taking a medical leave of absence from The Flash,” reads a statement from the network. “We wish him a full and speedy recovery and look forward to his return as Detective Joe West.”
According to TV Line, Martin suffered a back injury during the summer break between seasons, which has limited his mobility in the current fifth season (as you may have noticed given that his character Joe has been sitting for the majority of his scenes this season). Apparently the show will address Joe’s temporary absence, although specific details as to how are being kept under wraps.
SEE ALSO: Promo images for The Flash Season 5 Episode 5 – ‘All Doll’d Up’
“After outthinking The Thinker, you’d hope that Barry Allen aka The Flash (Grant Gustin) might have some down time to contemplate his future with his new wife, Iris (Candice Patton). But with their speedster daughter from the future, Nora (new series regular Jessica Parker Kennedy), already grown and a part of their lives, they’ve now got to face Central City’s newest menace — the DC Super-Villain Cicada!”
SEE ALSO: Follow all of our coverage for The Flash here
The Flash season 5 airs on Tuesdays on The CW.
Photo Credits: The CW