Barry Watson, who played minister's son Matt Camden on the WB's ''7th Heaven,'' has beaten cancer.

Watson had planned to leave the show at the end of the 2001-02 season, and his character had been written off (he got married and moved to New York in the season finale) before he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease.

During the summer, while undergoing chemo, he changed gears and joined the show's writing staff. ''He's been inspirational.''

''He's come in with great advice. He can certainly hold his own in the room with the writers.''

Now that he's well, he may pay the occasional on-screen visit to the Camden family, like fellow departed costar Jessica Biel. ''I would like to see him [back], but my second choice is to have him up here writing,'' Hampton says. ''We like having him and keeping him in the family.''