Rumors that Mariska Hargitay was leaving Law & Order: SVU following her recent surgery have been flying, with In Touch Weekly reporting today that “they have written [Mariska Hargitay] out of the rest of the season.” SVU honcho Neal Baer is telling E! that it’s not the case – and that Mariska Hargitay WILL be back on the series soon.

Baer said: “That [report] is so bizarre! Her publicist was saying that this is going around, but the answer is absolutely not true! She will be back shortly. I talk to her all the time. She’s doing great, so you can be the first to announce that there is no truth to this. She is slated to come back, she’s feeling really well and she will definitely be back. And she’ll be back for the last four episodes.”

Mariska Hargitay’s surgery to repair a collapsed lung will only keep her out of one episode of the series.