Curb Your Enthusiasm: Richard Lewis will return for season 11 after all

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Richard Lewis has played a fictionalized version of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm since the very first season over twenty years ago, but it was revealed earlier this year that he would have to step away from the HBO series due to several surgeries and health problems. "What a ride, LD! I love you, buddy," Lewis wrote on Twitter. "Tragically, these past 18 months I’ve endured a back and two shoulder surgeries and not able to be in #curbyourenthusiasm for season 11. I’ll be watching…"

Thankfully, we no longer have to deal with the crushing sadness of the thought of a season of Curb Your Enthusiasm without Richard Lewis' involvement as the comedian has revealed that he's been able to return to the set for one episode!

"Great news for me!" Lewis wrote. "Although I’m still recovering from three surgeries and missing Season 11 of Curb, LD called me and asked if there was any chance if I felt strong enough to do one episode! I am and here I’m on the set to shoot it. I’m so grateful." Richard Lewis was originally expected to appear in six episodes of the new season, and although his surgeries meant that couldn't happen, Larry David and producer Jeff Schaffer made sure to keep tabs on him throughout his recovery. While speaking with Variety, Richard Lewis said he told David that he wanted to return to the set three weeks ago and David made it happen. "When I walked in and they applauded, I felt like a million bucks," Lewis said. "Larry doesn’t like to hug, and he hugged me and told me how happy he was after we shot our scene." Lewis added that it didn't take long to get back into the swing of things. "My adrenaline was pumping so much, I just went crazy," Lewis said. "We went to places that I don’t think we’ve ever been before… It was maybe the best I’ve ever been in the 11 seasons. And I know this because I made Larry crack up at least 15 or 20 times during this one scene."