Kiefer Sutherland cleared to return to ‘24’ after surgery

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Kiefer Sutherland might not heal up quite as fast as his Jack Bauer character -- who recently recovered from a stabbing, a beating and electric shocks by the start of the next hour -- but he’s not exactly kickin’ it with bonbons and milking his sick days, either.

The star of ‘24’ has gotten the OK to return to work starting March 1. A cyst near one of Sutherland’s kidneys ruptured the week before Valentine’s Day, and production on the show was shut down while he had outpatient surgery to remedy the situation.

‘While Kiefer Sutherland is frustrated to miss even one day of work, he and Fox decided together that it would be best to complete this minor elective procedure now as a precaution as opposed to six weeks from now when production wraps,’ his publicist told The Times’ Show Tracker at the time. ‘He looks forward to returning to work next week.’

OK, so, now we know it’s going to be two weeks.

Gotta stay in tip-top shape if the job requires you to take down enemies left and right -- even if you’re only acting. As Jack Bauer learned at the end of last season, you’re nothing without your health.

Heal well, sir.

-- Christie D’Zurilla

P.S. We ran across this video along the way. Kiefer Sutherland, you are no David Caruso. And we mean that in a good way. Keep scrolling down for more Kiefer dish.

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip (we particularly love the one about the dress):

Kiefer Sutherland caught up in alleged cattle-selling scam

Kiefer Sutherland, David Letterman and a dress -- imagine the possibilities

Kiefer Sutherland, naughty or nice? Jack Bauer interrogates Santa ... Cocktails with Kiefer Sutherland -- for breakfast and for lunch

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