Fox says Jussie Smollett may never return to ‘Empire’

Jussie Smollett might never appear on “Empire” again.

Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV, which wrote the actor out of the final two episodes of the show’s fifth season amid his courtroom drama, confirmed Tuesday there are “no plans” for him to return.

“By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s option for season six, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to ‘Empire,” the studio wrote in a statement.

“We’ve been told that Jussie will not be on ‘Empire’ in the beginning of the season, but he appreciates they have extended his contract to keep Jamal’s future open. Most importantly, he is grateful to Fox and ‘Empire’ leadership, cast, crew and fans for their unwavering support,” a spokesperson for Smollett told The Post.

Smollett plays Jamal Lyon in the drama — the gay, middle son of his hip-hop mogul dad Lucious.

The hit show was renewed for a sixth season on Tuesday.

Fox originally kept an open mind after Smollett was charged with 16 counts of felony disorderly conduct for allegedly making up a hate crime he claimed to have endured — waiting for the disposition of the case to decide his fate with the company.

When charges were dropped against him, Fox applauded the decision and welcomed him back.

Michael Thorn, the president of entertainment for Fox Entertainment, wrote in a statement about the new season:

“[‘Empire’] continues to break barriers with its emotionally powerful storytelling, and it remains a core part of the FOX legacy. We want to thank everyone on the show – Taraji, Terrence and the entire cast, as well as Lee, Danny, Brett, Sanaa, Brian, Francie, Dennis and their teams – all of whom have done a tremendous job this season.  We know there are so many more stories to tell, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for Season Six.”

Last week, Smollet was spotted getting lunch with “Empire” showrunner Brett Mahoney at Lafayette in Noho.

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