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.

Originally published on tvinsider.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.