March 4, 2012 - 20:30 AMT
“House” star Jesse Spencer to play in “Chicago Fire” drama

House co-star Jesse Spencer is looking to stay in primetime as the lead of another drama series, Deadline reported.

Spencer, who has played Dr. Robert Chase on the Fox medical drama House for the past 8 seasons, is set to star in the NBC drama pilot Chicago Fire.

On Wolf Films and Universal TV’s action-driven drama about the complex and heroic men and women of the Chicago Fire Department, Spencer will play the lead, Matthew Casey, a firefighter at Firehouse 55, a natural leader who is in his element when on a rescue or putting out a fire but in his personal life, he is grappling with a recent separation from his wife.

Also cast in the pilot is Charlie Barnett as Peter Mills, a young candidate firefighter fresh from the Academy.

Spencer and Barnett join previously cast Eamonn Walker, David Eigenberg, Monica Raymund, Taylor Kinney.

The deal keeps Spencer in the NBCUniversal family — Universal TV, which produces Chicago Fire, is also the studio behind House.