The Blue Bloods spin-off, Boston Blue, was primarily filmed in Toronto, Canada, much to the disappointment of some fans. Leading actor Donnie Wahlberg has explained why.

Boston Blue Star Donnie Wahlberg has revealed why most of the filming for the Blue Bloods spin-off occurred in Toronto instead of Boston.

The show follows Sean Reagan (portrayed by Mika Amonsen) as he starts his journey as a patrol officer with the Boston Police Department, alongside his father, Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg), who joins as a detective.

Yet Boston sits far from New York and the remaining Reagan family members, forcing Danny to work harder to collaborate effectively with the sharp and fearless Detective Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green).

Although the title suggests otherwise, Boston Blue was mainly shot on a soundstage in Toronto, Canada, during the summer months, with only select exterior shots captured in the renowned city.

This choice sparked criticism from fans before the show’s premiere, reports the Express.

Wahlberg addressed these concerns during his guest spot on the Billy and Lisa in the Morning podcast, clarifying that budget limitations prevented additional filming from taking place in Boston.

The Massachusetts-born actor remembered: “When I initially was offered the job, I said, ‘We got to go to Boston.’ They said, ‘We can’t afford it.'”.

Nevertheless, the 56-year-old performer didn’t give up easily, stating: “It’s basically thirty cents on a dollar to film in Canada right now, compared to eighty cents on a dollar, ninety cents from a dollar even with tax breaks.

“But I said, ‘We have to go to Boston. I can’t not go to Boston.’

“And so the plan right now is to do the interiors up here [in Toronto] and go to Boston every couple of weeks and do what we did and put a crew together, a Boston crew, and go down and film all over the city.

“You can’t fake what Boston looks like. And you know, we’re bringing Boston actors up here to guest [star] in the show.

“We’re doing everything we can, and hopefully, if successful, we can be in Boston more. The aim is, let’s compromise to get the show made.

“We’ll work outside and do exteriors in Boston, and then, you know, if it’s successful, perhaps we can come down there and be there full time. That would be a dream of all dreams.”

Multiple iconic Boston locations have already been secured for the series, bringing relief to devoted fans, including Fenway Park, Granary Burying Ground and numerous other spots throughout downtown Boston.