“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ season 10 will see a lot of Sara Sidle but none of Riley Adams.”

One person in, another is out. While Jorja Fox is welcomed back as Sara Sidle on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, an actor has to be let go because the character is not working for the whole show. The unfortunate one would be Lauren Lee Smith aka Riley Adams, the crime investigator who joined the unit in season 9.

Executive producer Naren Shankar confirmed the elimination through TV Guide Magazine, specifying that Riley will not return for the 10th season. “It was an issue of how we were feeling the ensemble was working,” he reasoned. “When we brought in the character of Riley, it got lost in the shuffle a little bit because we had lost Warrick, we had lost Sara, and then in the middle of last season Grissom finally left. I think, as a result, the character never quite found its footing in terms of the rest of the gang.”

As compensation, Sara will be featured heavily during her 5 episodes appearance. On how she will re-enter the story, Shankar hinted, “She shows up because the team is understaffed. The undersheriff reaches out for a recommendation and Sara says, ‘I think that person might be me’.”

For the first time since the news spread out, Fox talked about her return. “I never thought I’d be going back to work with people that I knew,” Fox expressed her joy. “I thought I’d be starting new things. That was a surprise, so I’m going back to work and it’s with the same people who I’ve worked with for eight years in the past. I was thrilled! For me it was a huge compliment!”

Asked whether Sara’s come back means similar thing will happen to her lover Gil Grissom, Fox played it coy. “That will hopefully be a reveal in the premiere. They’ve prevented me from discussing Grissom at all,” she said with a laugh.

The 10th season of “CSI” will begin September 24 on CBS.