A month and a half after he was fired from Criminal Minds, Thomas Gibson is opening up about being fired from the show that he’s been part of since it started in 2005, according to Variety.
“I feel like it took years to make a good reputation and a minute to damage it,” Gibson said about the incident that happened on-set where he kicked producer and writer Virgil Williams.
Gibson said he had a conversation with Williams about a line he didn’t think should be in the script. He said Williams disagreed with him and said the line has to be in the script. Gibson then went and talked with his other castmates when Williams entered the room and started walking toward Gibson.
“He came into that room and started coming towards me. As he brushed past me, my foot came up and tapped him on the leg. If I hadn’t moved, he would have run into me. We had some choice words, for which I apologized the next day, and that was it. It was over. We shot the scene, I went home – and I never got to go back,” Gibson said.
Many considered the kick Gibson’s third strike in almost six years, after he hit an assistant producer in 2010 and received a DUI a few years later. The DUI resulted in Gibson’s license being suspended and made it harder for him to get to set.
Gibson said he was told originally that he was suspended from the show for two weeks. Instead, he ended up being dismissed from the show. Currently, there’s no news about will happen to Gibson’s character other than he’ll be written out of the show.
As for what Gibson thinks he’ll do in the future? He’s considering a return to comedy, as he starred in ABC’s Dharma and Greg. If he doesn’t do that, he’s considering doing directing and producing or some theater work.
Gibson has directed a few episodes of Criminal Minds, including the season 11 episode “Derek.” He was planning to direct the second episode of the season but his directing privileges were revoked when he was originally suspended from the show.
Season 12 of the show marks a host of changes to the show. Shemar Moore, another longtime cast member, is no longer with the cast. Adam Rodriguez has joined the cast as Luke Alvez, FBI Fugitive Task Force member who joins the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the end of the first episode. Aisha Tyler has been promoted to a series regular after being a recurring cast member for the show’s 11th season. But perhaps what’s most exciting for fans is that Paget Brewster’s character, Emily Prentiss, is coming back to the BAU in full-time role.
The 12th season of Criminal Minds premieres Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. Gibson’s last episode will be the following week.