Last night’s How I Met Your Mother episode saw the return of Joe Manganiello as Brad. Read what the cast and crew had to say about the actor!

Entertainment Weekly spoke to the How I Met Your Mother stars about Manganiello, who since his last appearance on the show has become best known for his role on True Blood.

But even though that role has propelled the actor to stardom, he still confesses to fans recognising him as Brad, saying, “Even with the beard and the hair, people come up to me like, ‘Oh bro! You’re Brad!'”

Executive producer Pamela Fryman was a big supporter of Manganiello returning, calling Brad one of her favourite characters and saying that, “some of my biggest laughs have come from when Joe Manganiello has been on the show.”

The cast all agree that even though Manganiello is a big deal now, he’s still a consummate professional, and as Cobie Smulders puts it, “very down-to-earth and really nice. And able to play and make fun of his hotness.”

Jason Segel adds that he is, “such a professional,” as opposed to other actors he has worked with. “Sometimes you work with actors who don’t really know their lines and stuff like that. As you get more and more famous some people feel like that allows them to be less prepared. But not Joe. He’s on top of it.”

On the character, Josh Radnor says, “I think they amped up his Brad-ness a little bit. His abbreviating has gone to a new level. ‘The fuch. Redempch.’ It’s just kind of ridiculous.” He does say that there is something funny about the Marshall/Brad interaction, “how they’re like the same height. These two big guys who have brunch together.”

Speaking about next week’s episode, Segel teases to E! Online that, “there might be some shirtless Joe. It was a request on our part.” Manganiello elaborates on said shirtlessness, saying that, “Brad uses some very unorthodox and questionable tactics in court. There’s some farm animals. I’m not even kidding.”

What did you think about Brad’s How I Met Your Mother return last night? Are you glad it looks like he’ll be sticking around for a few episodes?