Leah Remini will be back as a series regular on "Kevin Can Wait" season 2. CBS confirmed the actress' status following her two-part guest appearance in the comedy series, which aired last May. Leah Remini will continue playing the undercover cop Vanessa Cellucci when the series returns in the fall. Apart from her work history with the show's lead star, her character was introduced as Kevin James' ex-wife in a fake marriage, which was part of their police work.
'King of Queens' throwback
It has been a big reunion for Leah Remini and Kevin James on "Kevin Can Wait." The two worked together as husband and wife on the sitcom "King of Queens." This show aired for nine seasons from 1998 to 2007, also on CBS.
The show was about a couple -- Doug (Kevin James) and Carrie Heffernan (Leah Remini) -- who lived with Carrie's amusing dad Arthur Spooner (Jerry Stiller). The sitcom also featured Patton Oswalt, Lisa Rieffel and Larry Romano.
From time to time, "King of Queens" would have a crossover with another comedy series, "Everybody Loves Raymond." The show was partly inspired by "The Honeymooners" and did well in its Monday night time schedule until its cancellation.
A highly-rated reunion
Ratings shot up after Leah Remini appeared as a guest star in the first season finale of "Kevin Can Wait" on May 1st and 8th. According to TV Guide, the network was most likely pleased about the casting stunt, thus, CBS decided to cast the actress on the show full-time.
"Kevin Can Wait" is about a retired cop who was looking forward to spending more time with his wife and three children following a work-related accident. He realizes, however, that staying at home is a lot more stressful than being a cop for 20 years.
The comedy series also stars Erin Hayes as Kevin's wife. Ratings from Nielsen show that the sitcom is the number one comedy among the new batch that debuted during the 2016-2017 season.
CBS has the premiere of season 2 set for Monday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 p.m.
Remini's controversy
Meanwhile, Leah Remini has been in the news in recent months because of her departure from the Church of Scientology. The actress has been an outspoken critic of her former religion. In 2015, she published the book “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology,” outlining why she now believes that her experiences with the church's practices were a scam.
The actress also produced the “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” docu-series on A&E. The network recently renewed the show for season 2.
