Paget Brewster: 'Criminal Minds' return is 'very exciting'

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Paget Brewster is very excited to rejoin Criminal Minds.

The 47-year-old actress, who will reprise Emily Prentiss on the CBS series, discussed her return to the show in an interview with Entertainment Tonight ahead of her Season 12 debut.

"[Prentiss] been running Interpol for four years, and now it's just really nice to be back on the team full-time," she said. "So far, they've made [her] powerful and good at the job and invested."

Brewster had shared similar sentiments about her return in a previous interview with TV Guide. The actress starred as Prentiss in Seasons 2 through 6 and appeared as a guest star in Seasons 9 and 11.

"The fact of the matter is, there really aren't that many shows that I love as much as Criminal Minds. I left at the right time for the right reason, but I love those guys. We've never stopped being friends. It's such a great group there," she said.

"It's a true family. There are not families without problems, and people fight, but it's because we all care a lot about the show," the star added. "I love that show and I love our fans and I love everyone on it. I love the cast and the crew. It's the best situation I've ever been in."

CBS had announced in August that Brewster was being promoted to a series regular ahead of her return. The actress was initially slated to guest star in six episodes of Season 12.

"[It was] because she's a fan favorite and we all love and miss her so much here," executive producer Erica Messer explained to ET.

Brewster will make her Season 12 debut on Wednesday's episode. The series airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET and co-stars Matthew Grey Gubler, A.J. Cook and Kirsten Vangsness.