While Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has continued to live on without Christopher Meloni, it would be very difficult for the show to also lose Mariska Hargitay, who has played Detective Olivia Benson since day one on the show. Since SVU will be back in the fall, NBC made sure to sign the actress for a 15th season.

Hargitay confirmed the widely expected news on Twitter, writing on Saturday, “Happy weekend. It's official. Season 15--I'LL BE BACK!”

SVU’s 14th season finale ended with a cliffhanger, as an accused rapist had entered Benson’s apartment and held a gun to her head. With Hargitay returning, it looks like we’ll get to learn her fate on screen rather in dialogue. The show will keep its Wednesday 9 p.m. slot this fall.

SVU is the only Law & Order spin-off still on the air and was the first spin-off. The series started in 1999 and Hargitay won a Golden Globe in 2005.

Meloni is also returning to network TV this season. He stars in the Fox sitcom Surviving Jack, which will likely premiere mid-season.

image: NBC