CBS confirms that casting is underway for Ziva's successor for NCIS Season 11, after it was announced that Cote de Pablo will leave the show after eight seasons on the series.

Producers are on the hunt for a full-time successor for the character of Ziva, played by Chilean-born actress Cote de Pablo, after she announced she will not return for season 11 on NCIS.

She will be replaced by a "twenty-something female character named Bishop," The Huffington Post reports. Bishop is described as "bright, educated, athletic, attractive, fresh-faced, focused and somewhat socially awkward. She has a mysterious mixture of analytic brilliance, fierce determination and idealism. She's traveled extensively, but only feels comfortable at home," according to TVLine. 

No word yet on who will play Bishop, but she sounds an awful lot like Ziva's character. Maybe to mix it up, producers will cast someone who looks very different from Cote de Pablo, or they will stick to what works and choose an actress that will remind all of Cote's fans around the world of Ziva.

Bishop's start date is reportedly listed as mid-October, meaning a likely January or February debut on air, the website notes.

Executive producer Gary Glasberg told TVLine that before Bishop arrives, "NCIS" will "rotate some fun people" through the offices.

"The first two episodes are all about Ziva's departure," Glasberg said. "And then in the third episode we introduce, for instance, a woman in her 50s who is a few days away from retirement and just needs to fill the desk time. She, in theory, knew Gibbs all the way back to the days of Mike Franks. So we're going to bring in people like that and have some fun with different characters. And then, hopefully, when people are comfortable enough, one will walk in and be The One."

E! News reports that Ziva won't be killed off the show. Instead, she will appear in the first two episodes of season 11, which CBS promises will contain "appropriate closure in this chapter of Ziva's story." 

This will also leave room for the possibility of a few guest appearances by Cote de Pablo.

Season 11 of "NCIS" premieres on Tues., Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.