Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2016 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved(LOS ANGELES) — The case is closed for Criminal Minds star Thomas Gibson: the 54-year-old actor’s been fired from the long-running show after 12 years, stemming from a disagreement with a writer that turned physical.
The actor, who has had a physical confrontation with another show staffer in the past, reportedly kicked a colleague this week after a dispute.
Following a brief suspension, both the show’s network, CBS, and ABC Studios, which produced the show, issued a brief statement confirming the dismissal.
For his part, a statement from Gibson obtained by ABC News read, “I love Criminal Minds and have put my heart and soul into it for the last twelve years. I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that won’t be possible now. I would just like to say thank you to the writers, producers, actors, our amazing crew, and, most importantly, the best fans that a show could ever hope to have.”
Variety notes that Gibson’s character Aaron Hotchner will appear in two already-shot episodes of the upcoming season, which debuts on September 28.
The CBS/ABC Studios statement noted, “Creative details for how the character’s exit will be addressed in the show will be announced at a later date.”
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
