BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The abrupt departure of Mandy Patinkin from “Criminal Minds” is forcing CBS to revise the drama before its fall return and fend off questions about his exit.

Patinkin, 54, citing creative differences, asked to be released from his role as FBI profiler Jason Gideon, it was announced earlier this week.

CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler, questioned Wednesday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association, said it has yet to be determined how “Criminal Minds” will account for the loss of a major character.

But she said the situation offers an opportunity to bring “a different character into the mix” in the show’s third season. The show’s writers are “up to the challenge,” she said.

Series producers have said Patinkin’s leaving was unrelated to a contract renegotiation or salary issues.

“Criminal Minds” is among CBS’ top-rated scripted programs, standing up to tough competition including Fox’s “American Idol” and growing in viewership from its first-year average of 12.6 million to 14.1 million viewers in its second.

Tassler said she was not free to shed light on Patinkin’s leaving. At one point she said “creative differences is a euphemism for personal issues,” but declined to elaborate.

“It’s a personal issue … the show is accommodating his needs,” Tassler said.

Asked whether workload, scripts or health might be involved, she said she hoped that “at some point, in the very near future, Mandy himself is going to address a lot of those questions. I really believe that.”

Patinkin won an Emmy for best actor in 1995 for his portrayal of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in the CBS medical series “Chicago Hope,” which he left in the second season to, he said then, spend more time with his family. He later returned to the show. His films include “The Princess Bride” and “Dick Tracy.”

Patinkin had been scheduled to take part in the TV critics’ meeting as part of a July 11 PBS panel on an upcoming film, “The Jewish Americans.” He was absent from the session, and the film’s producer said it was because of illness.

CBS is a unit of CBS Corp.

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