Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg has revealed that Tom Selleck was in tears watching his last scenes ahead of the series finale.
The CBS drama first premiered in 2010, and followed the many members of a fictional family in New York, including police officer Danny Reagan (Donnie) and Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan), led by patriarch Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom).
In November, fans were left raging when it was announced that the acclaimed program was coming to an end after more than a decade on our screens – a decision the Magnum PI actor has vocally slammed.
During an appearance on the Today Show to promote the second and final part of season 14, Donnie recalled the Hollywood legend making a surprise visit on set to take in his last scenes.
‘I was filming my last scene with Marisa Ramirez [Maria Baez] … Tom Selleck never really shows up in Donnie’s scenes. It’s Danny world and Frank Reagan world.
‘He was there watching, I looked across the room and saw him standing there. Tom is a really serious, focused man. He likes to cover up his emotions, he doesn’t like to show vulnerability.
‘I looked across and he had tears in his eyes…’
He continued: ‘That memory for me still brings up a lot for me. It made me reflect on, not just the 14 years of the show but my whole life’s journey.
‘To watch this man on TV as a little kid… In a family where we didn’t know if the lights were going to get turned off tonight and if I’d ever be able to watch TV again, to suddenly now I’m working with this man and he’s there to support me on my last day of work.
‘It filled me with tremendous humility. I get emotional about it still. It’s more gratitude, it’s not saditude.’
Blue Bloods was cancelled last November, with bosses confirming that the current season will officially be the last.
Tom previously posted a heartfelt statement over the news, sharing his heartache that the hit program was coming to an end.
Speaking to TV Insider ahead of the upcoming premiere, he explained that it will take him ‘a long time’ to process the axe.
‘I’m kind of frustrated,’ he said. ‘During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods but about it still being wildly successful.
‘I don’t believe in holding grudges, but if you were to say to the television network, “Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,” it would be almost impossible to believe.
‘My frustration is the show was always taken for granted because it performed from the get-go. So, how do I feel? It’s going to take a long time to sort all of this out.’
Season 14 of Blue Bloods is returning to CBS from October 18, and is also available to stream on Paramount+.