Hilarie Burton, who has guest-starred as Sara Ellis on six episodes of the second season of USA Network’s ‘White Collar,’ has been promoted to series regular for the series’ third season, tvline.com is reporting. After her first appearance on the show about con-man, thief and forger Neal Caffrey, Burton said leads Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay “are so sincere in their generosity and their kindness, I’d stay forever.”

This is Burton’s first television series since she left the hit CW series ‘One Tree Hill’ in 2009. She then joined ‘White Collar’ as insurance investigator Sara, who believes Neal, played by Bomer, is the “one that got away.” Burton has described her role of Sara is quite different from her portrayal of Peyton Sawyer on ‘One Tree Hill.’ Of ‘White Collar,’ said “If you want to see me having a good time and being, you know, clever and quick-witted, this is the place to do it.”

Written by: Karen Benardello