©2016 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved/Heather WInes(LOS ANGELES) — For seven seasons, Amy Carlson played Linda Reagan, Donnie Wahlberg‘s onscreen wife in the hit CBS show Blue Bloods. However, fans were stunned during the season premiere of season 8 in September to learn that her character had died.
The off-screen death — the TV nurse was killed in a MEDEVAC crash — was totally out of left field for fans, and for that, Carlson tells Deadline, she’s sorry.
She tried to soften the blow with an Instagram post thanking fans on the night of the premiere, but at the time avoided any particulars.
“I feel badly that she dies the way she dies. I was surprised. I wouldn’t have done that…[I]t really touches my heart that they cared so much about Linda and that she meant so much to so many people.”
Carlson did say she was open to returning, if just to show Linda’s death in flashback. “Yeah, I think it’s been hard on the fans…I feel sad for the fans because everyone wants closure…So of course I’d be open to that.”
As to news one former co-star reportedly was surprised that Carlson wasn’t returning, she griped, “If someone had said they were surprised and they didn’t know I was leaving I would just respond to them and say it’s standard to have conversations with actors whose contracts are up prior to the season ending. It’s not that you start to shoot and don’t know.”
Carlson had nothing but good things to say about Wahlberg, however. “I could just tear up right now thinking about how sweet he’s been. I miss working with Donnie. I miss playing those scenes with him…We…were both super committed to doing right by those characters.”
Blue Bloods airs Friday nights at 10 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
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