How did Kellett leave the Fly Team in the FBI: International Season 3 premiere?

FBI: International began Season 3 with some huge drama, the biggest being how they would handle the departure of star Heida Reed. So, how was Jamie Kellett written off the show?

Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for the FBI: International Season 3 premiere

The episode kicked off with the immediate aftermath of the bombing of the team headquarters in the Season 2 finale. Everyone was alive, although Smitty had a concussion. More serious was Raines getting his leg crushed under some collapsed roofing.

Jamie went with him to the hospital, where there were worries that the doctors would have to amputate Raines's leg despite Jamie promising it wouldn't happen. Luckily, Jubal was able to get a top-notch surgeon in to save Raines's leg.

Jamie came to HQ to talk to the team, including analyst Amanda Tate (new cast member Christina Wolfe). After telling everyone Raines would be okay, Jamie dropped the bomb she was leaving the team to transfer to D.C.

In a private talk, Jamie told Forrester that after her sister's suicide, she'd made promises "to live my life for both of us, and even though I checked a lot of that list, served my country, traveled, fell in love, I ran away, from my mom, from my grief. It's time to go back home."

Forrester was obviously shaken but agreed with her decision. The final scene had Forrester walking his former lover to the train station and seeing her off.

Reed and Kleintank on Jamie's departure from FBI: International

Reed shared a message on her Instagram feed to fans, thanking them.

Luke Kleintank talked to TV Insider on how "bittersweet" it was to bid farewell to Reed but that Forrester understands it's better she be true to herself. He also shared how Forrester will handle Kellet's departure thanks to the team.

"I think the relationships with Vinessa [Vidotto] 's character Vo, Carter's Raines, and Smitty [Eva-Jane Willis]—they've all been together for a while now—all fill that void a lot. Had it been early days, Season 1, where Vinessa's character was new, Carter's character was new, and Smitty wasn't around, I think it would've been hard for him. But I think now, because the team is picking up what everybody's putting down, it's okay.
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The team won't be short-handed for long as Forrester was so impressed by Tate's work on the case that he recommended her to take Kellett's spot. With Season 3 only being 13 episodes, there won't be much time for the Fly Team to handle Kellett's loss, but it does shake things up for the show.

FBI: International Season 3 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS and streams on Paramount+.