Criminal Minds star Thomas Gibson fired for on set fight

Thomas Gibson starred as Aaron Hotchner in Criminal Minds. Photo / Getty Images

Criminal Minds star Thomas Gibson has been fired following an onset fight.

"Thomas Gibson has been dismissed from Criminal Minds," ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios said in a statement overnight. "Creative details for how the character's exit will be addressed in the show will be announced at a later date."

Gibson, 54, was suspended for two episodes of the series after a physical altercation with co-executive producer and writer Virgil Williams, below left with Gibson.

The actor told TMZ that he was sad to be leaving but grateful for the experience.

"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," he said. "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."

On Thursday, Gibson told The New York Post in a statement, "There were creative differences on the set and a disagreement. I regret that it occurred. We all want to work together as a team to make the best show possible. We always have and always will."

We out here doin this #CriminalMinds thing. pic.twitter.com/8xTNxdPtXY

— Virgil Williams (@VirgilWilliams) September 4, 2014

But a source close to Gibson insisted that the incident wasn't the actor's fault.

"[Williams] got very aggressive, so Thomas walked away and then he felt like the guy was coming after him," the source told us. "He turned around and kicked just on instinct, like a reflex."

He has been on the show since 2005 and has known Williams for most of that period.

Gibson, who made his big break in the show Dharma & Greg, had previous onset outbursts, TMZ reported, including one in which he pushed an assistant director and was subsequently sent to anger management courses.

A rep for Gibson didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.