We will, right now, get down on our knees and beg that this doesn't come true. With production on the eighth season of 24 about to begin, word has come via Reuters that the acting legend that is Freddie Prinze Jr is being added to the cast.

Freddie Prinze Jr. Surely that's three words, in that order, that nobody wants to see attached to a show they give two hoots about.

The report suggests that he'll be playing a regular character called Davis Cole, who is a Marine that's recently returned from duty. He's run CTU field operations, and has a desire to follow in the footsteps of Jack Bauer.

I think I'm about to cry.

Several other names have been added to the season eight cast list, including Slumdog Millionaire's Anil Kappor, Chris Diamantopoulos as the new chief of staff, Jennifer Westfeldt as a journalist and John Boyd as a CTU system analyst.

And Freddie Prinze Jr. I'd rather they gave him a third Scooby Doo movie to do instead.

The show returns next year. I suspect I'll spend the time behind then and now quietly sobbing, and wondering why he couldn't have got the call for a show I've no intention of watching. Surely some reality TV show out there needs another ‘celebrity'? He'd be good at that.

Reuters/Yahoo