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Law & Order: SVU has retooled an upcoming episode following a scandal involving a prominent guest star. 

Dexter alum David Zayas is taking on the role of a judge on the NBC procedural. He replaces Timothy Busfield, who had filmed his part for the show before his arrest on child abuse charges in January 2025. In the wake of the controversy, the network pulled his episode shortly before the scheduled January 15 airdate.  

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Melissa Gilbert Says She Needs to ‘Slow Down’ and ‘Rest’ as Husband Timothy Busfield Faces Abuse Charges

“Corrosive” focuses on an attempt on a respected judge’s life that is connected to an anonymous video posted to the SVU tip line. Meanwhile, Rollins (Kelli Giddish) tries to help a victim come to terms with their abuse. 

The episode, now featuring Zayas instead of Busfield, will  air on February 26, according to Give Me My Remote, which was first to report the recasting. It will mark SVU’s return after a break for the Winter Olympics. 

Timothy Busfield charged with child abuse; denies wrongdoing 

Busfield is best known for his roles on The West Wing and Thirtysomething. He is facing two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse stemming from an alleged incident involving child actors he met on the set of the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady, on which he worked as both an actor and a director. 

Busfield has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. 

“They’re all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it,” Busfield said in a video obtained by TMZ shot shortly before he turned himself in. “I’m gonna fight it with a great team, and I’m gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies.”

‘SVU’ isn’t the first show to fire an actor because of scandal 

NBC’s decision to recast Busfield’s role is not the first time a TV show or movie has had to pivot following an actor’s scandal or alleged misconduct. 

Recently, CBS abruptly wrote David Del Rio off of Matlock after his costar Leah Lewis accused him of sexual assault. 

In 2019, after Lori Loughlin was caught up in the college admissions scandal, Hallmark fired the Full House alum and temporarily pulled her show, When Calls the Heart, off the air in order to remove her character from upcoming episodes. (She’ll return to the drama in 2027 for season 14, the network recently announced.) 

In 2017, Ridley Scott rapidly reshot scenes from All the Money in the World, replacing Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer. The same year, the BBC replaced Ed Westwick in Ordeal By Innocence after he was accused of sexual misconduct. His scenes were reshot with Christian Cooke. 

How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.

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