. ▁Hall ▁later ▁revealed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁initially ▁aud ition ed ▁for ▁another ▁role . ▁Ned ' s ▁introduction ▁meant ▁that ▁all ▁of ▁Brad ' s ▁children ▁would ▁be ▁seen ▁together ▁on - screen ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁Hall ▁later ▁confirmed ▁that ▁Ned ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁a ▁permanent ▁cast ▁member , ▁as ▁he ▁had ▁only ▁been ▁brought ▁in ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁guest ▁st int . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Soph ie ▁D ain ty ▁of ▁Digital ▁Sp y ▁confirmed ▁that ▁Hall ▁had ▁returned ▁to ▁film ing , ▁after ▁the ▁actor ▁posted ▁various ▁photos ▁of ▁himself ▁on ▁the ▁set ▁to ▁his ▁social ▁media ▁accounts . ▁When ▁asked ▁if ▁he ▁always ▁knew ▁that ▁the ▁character ▁was ▁going ▁to ▁return , ▁Hall ▁replied , ▁" It ▁wasn ' t ▁decided ▁at ▁that ▁point , ▁actually . ▁It ▁just ▁came ▁up ▁and ▁when ▁I ▁found ▁out ▁the ▁opportunity ▁was ▁there ▁to ▁come ▁back , ▁I ▁took ▁it ▁glad ly . ▁It ' s ▁been ▁a ▁really ▁fun ▁period ▁of ▁shooting ▁now ▁that ▁I ▁know ▁the ▁ro pes ▁a ▁little ▁bit ▁more ." ▁Hall ▁thought ▁that ▁the ▁character ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁brought ▁back ▁as ▁he ▁had ▁proved ▁popular ▁with ▁view ers ▁on ▁social ▁media . ▁Ned ▁returned ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁August . ▁ ▁The ▁show ' s ▁series ▁producer ▁Jason ▁Her b ison ▁later ▁revealed ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁plans ▁to ▁promote ▁Hall ▁to ▁the ▁regular ▁cast , ▁but ▁the ▁actor ▁was ▁uns ure ▁about ▁making ▁a ▁long - term ▁commit ment