Thomas Gibson as Hotch
Thomas Gibson as HotchCBS / Criminal Minds

The cast of CBS' crime drama series "Criminal Minds" is all set to find a replacement for Thomas Gibson in the upcoming Season 12. Gibson had portrayed the character of Hotch till last season.

TV Line has recently reported that CBS is searching for potential actors who can join the cast as two new series regulars. The network began the search after Gibson was fired from the show over a brawl with one of the producers.

According to reports, one of the new characters will replace Gibson's character of Hotch as BAU Unit chief, while the details of the other character has not been revealed yet.

Much to the shock of the fans, Gibson, who had been with the series for a long time, was unexpectedly fired after he hit writer-producer Virgil Williams while filming for an episode of Season 12. The incident was witnessed by several people of the show, including show-runner Erica Messer. Afterwards, things didn't go very well for Gibson.

Several reports have also stated that this is not the first time when Gibson landed in trouble because of assaulting a crew member. A few years ago, Gibson was given a warning when he attacked an assistant director.

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

Certain reports claim that Gibson has hired one of the best law firms in Los Angeles to file a possible legal claim against the producers of the show.

Recent rumours have claimed that the producers of "Criminal Minds" have cast "CSI: Miami" star Adam Rodriguez as new BAU agent Luke Alvez, while Asha Tyler will be promoted as a series regular, reprising her role as Dr. Tara Lewis. However, the casting is yet to be confirmed by the network and the producers.

"Criminal Minds" Season 12 will air on Sept. 28 on CBS.