‘Call Me Kat’ Casts Jack McBrayer as New Baker After Leslie Jordan’s Passing

Call Me Kat lost a sizeable figure when Leslie Jordan passed away last year. The veteran comic, who won over even more audiences during the pandemic thanks to his candid and hilarious Instagram stories, died tragically in October 2022 due to a cardiac dysfunction while driving.

The January 5-airing winter premiere explained the absence of Jordan’s Phil with the baker taking a vacation to Tahiti with his new boyfriend. That turned into a marriage proposal and a long-term stay — with Phil opening up a bakery of his own on the island. Rather than have the cast suffer through a staged funeral while they were still in the midst of actively mourning their friend, it was decided to let Phil live on and have the happy ending he deserved.

Of course, this has left a spot open at the cafe, and auditions for the new baker are happening as the series welcomes guest stars to take up the role until they find a fit that satisfies audiences who will no doubt be missing Jordan’s presence on the show. And now it seems like a familiar face may fill the role: Jack McBrayer.

Initially, Jordan’s former The Cool Kids castmate Vicki Lawrence stepped up to bake with a guest-starring role as Phil’s mom. Jordan considered Lawrence a mentor, so Lawrence was cast specifically to honor the late actor.

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But now, the permanent position is up for grabs. Fox has announced that the aforementioned 30 Rock alum will take up shop as the new baker at Call Me Kat’s cafe for a guest-starring role as Amish baker Gideon. No word yet on if the character will be the permanent replacement, but if the role resonates with the audience, it is likely he will be back for Season 4.

The new clip shows McBrayer being introduced to the gang, overalls and naivety aplenty, as he sets out “on a journey of self-discovery.”

Watch the clip below:

Call Me Kat, Season 3, Thursdays, 9:30/8:30c, Fox