Chi McBride Joins 'Hawaii Five-0' As Series Regular

Better break out an extra surfboard, "Hawaii Five-0" is adding Chi McBride as a series regular.

McBride's character Captain Lou Grover (who is based on a character from the original series with the same name) made his debut in this season's premiere episode as a guest role. "Hawaii Five-0" executive producer Peter Lenkov saw a good fit and decided to make him a permanent part of the cast. "He just fit seamlessly into the fabric of 'Hawaii Five-0' and viewers are enjoying the spirited, if sometimes antagonistic, interaction between him and McGarrett. We are so thrilled to welcome Chi into our Ohana,” Lenkov said in a statement.

McBride is no stranger to TV viewers. His other roles include "Golden Boy" and "Pushing Daisies" and "Boston Public."

In the press announcement, McBride said he loves being part of the CBS family.

"Well, I know this sounds corny but the only thing I ever wanted in my career was to be on CBS, the home of my idol Jackie Gleason." McBride said. "I finally made it to the Tiffany network on 'Golden Boy,' shooting scenes on the same stage where 'The Honeymooners' was filmed. CBS graciously invited me to be a member of the cast of 'Hawaii Five-0,' and it's been wonderful."

"Hawaii Five-0" airs Fridays at 9 p.m. EST on CBS.