Criminal Minds Shocker: Paget Brewster Is Returning as a Series Regular

The prodigal Prentiss has returned!

Paget Brewster is returning to Criminal Minds as a series regular in Season 12, TVGuide.com has confirmed. Brewster left the show in 2012, at the end of Season 7, and first returned last season as a guest star.

She was scheduled to guest-star on a number of episodes in the upcoming season, but her return to the show's regular cast comes shortly after star Thomas Gibson was fired from the show after an on-set altercation with a writer/producer.

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"We're all so excited to have Paget with us full time," Criminal Minds showrunner Erica Messer told Deadline, which first reported the news. "The BAU family has definitely missed her, on screen and off. Having her back on set has been great, it's like she never left."

Criminal Minds will be adding at least one more new cast member in addition to Brewster.

Criminal Minds returns Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9/8c on CBS. Brewster's first episode is scheduled to air on Oct. 12.

(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)