Donnie Wahlberg Shares Tom Selleck’s Response on Blue Bloods
Donnie Wahlberg recently shared his thoughts on what his onscreen father Tom Selleck thinks about the Blue Bloods spinoff, Boston Blue.
“When the moment is right, I’m sure Tom and I will collaborate on something [for the show],” Wahlberg exclusively told Us Weekly at CBS Fest on Wednesday, April 15. “Tom has been supportive of me pursuing this.”
Wahlberg suggested that Selleck “might want to reprise his role” as Frank, or he “might choose not to.”
“However, it will largely hinge on the timing, the circumstances, and most importantly, the script. We’ve also had other Blue Bloods cast members join us. It’s been remarkable,” he remarked. “We had Grandpa Reagan and there are a few surprises featuring other Reagans before the season comes to a close. It’s fantastic.”
He concluded: “Certainly, having Tom back would be lovely. It would be wonderful, but we’ll wait for the right moment. Until then, we move forward.”
The former Blue Bloods star portrayed Reagan family patriarch and NYC police commissioner Frank for 14 seasons of the CBS series, which debuted in 2010. Frank’s father, Henry Reagan (Len Cariou), along with his children—daughter Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan) and sons Danny (Wahlberg) and Jamie Reagan (Will Estes)—were also pivotal to the show.
Rumors circulated in 2023 that Blue Bloods was nearing its end. At that time, the police procedural was renewed, but the cast and crew agreed to a 25 percent pay reduction. Selleck later addressed the cancellation news and shared his concerns.
“I’m a bit frustrated,” he mentioned to TV Insider in October 2024. “During those final eight episodes, I didn’t want to focus on an ending for Blue Bloods but rather its continued success.”
Selleck contended that Blue Bloods should have continued airing, commenting, “I’m not going to become a bitter old man saying, ‘Get off my lawn.’ I don’t believe in holding grudges, but if you were to present to the television network that you had a show they could schedule in their worst timeslot that would guarantee them winning Friday nights for the next 15 years, it would be hard to believe.”
At that time, Selleck expressed that his frustration stemmed from the show being “taken for granted, given its outstanding performance from the start.”
“So how do I feel?” he continued. “It’s going to take a long time to process all of this. I remember after the weekend of filming the final episode, I thought, ‘I need to sleep early tonight because I have to prep my lines for Monday.’ Well, there was no Monday. It’s going to take a while to adjust.”
As the series finale approached, which aired a month later, Selleck reflected on the future after Blue Bloods. “I’m unsure what my next role will be, but I’ve always been fond of a good Western. I miss it. I want to ride a horse again,” he shared with Parade in December 2024. “I would also love to pursue another comedic venture—the right kind of comedy that evokes laughter and tears. That’s the type of comedy I find enjoyable.”
Selleck was also asked about a potential return for Boston Blue, which premiered this October.
“I’m open to ideas since I adore playing Frank Reagan, but no one has really reached out,” Selleck told Parade. “I can’t see him retiring and disappearing.”
Boston Blue airs on CBS Fridays at 10 p.m. ET.
