An actor has been dismissed from long-running US drama Criminal Minds following an altercation on the show's set in Los Angeles.

ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios, which produce the series, made the announcement about Thomas Gibson with no further details.

Gibson's exit followed a physical altercation last month between him and another member of the Criminal Minds company on the LA set.

It occurred as the series filmed an episode for the upcoming season, its twelfth, according to a source. The altercation reportedly led to an internal review.

The firing was preceded by an apology from Gibson on Thursday.

"There were creative differences on the set and a disagreement. I regret that it occurred," Gibson said in a statement.

Gibson had starred on Criminal Minds - which focuses on an elite team of FBI profilers who try to anticipate and prevent criminal behaviour - since its premiere in 2005. He played Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. He had also directed six episodes in recent years.

Details on how Hotchner will be written out of the show "will be announced at a later date", the studios said.

Remaining stars of the ensemble series include Joe Mantegna, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler and Adam Rodriguez, a newcomer this season.

"I love 'Criminal Minds' and have put my heart and soul into it for the last twelve years," Gibson said in a statement on Friday.

"I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that won't be possible now. 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."

The 54-year-old had previously starred in sitcom Dharma & Greg and hospital drama series Chicago Hope.

The new Criminal Minds season begins on September 28 in the US.