'The Rookie' Star Eric Winter Gets Honest About Chenford

It's actually a surprising take!

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Actor Eric Winter, who plays Tim Bradford on the ABC drama 'The Rookie', opens up about the fan-favorite romance between his character and Lucy Chen (played by Melissa O'Neil). Winter shares how the 'Chenford' relationship was not originally planned by the writers, but was instead driven by the show's passionate fanbase. He discusses how Tim and Lucy's dynamic has evolved over the course of the series, with each helping the other become the best version of themselves.

Why it matters

The relationship between Tim and Lucy, known as 'Chenford' by fans, has become a central focus of 'The Rookie' over the past eight seasons. The fact that the writers responded to fan demand and developed the characters' romance highlights the power of dedicated fanbases in shaping the direction of popular TV shows.

The details

Eric Winter, who plays Tim Bradford on 'The Rookie', recently opened up about the show's fan-favorite 'Chenford' romance between his character and Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil). Winter revealed that the relationship was not originally planned by the writers, but was instead driven by the passionate fanbase. 'The idea of Chenford was created by the fans,' he said. 'They were never written on the show - remember, Lucy dated [John] Nolan (Nathan Fillion) in the beginning!' However, the fans' desire to see Tim and Lucy together led the writers to craft a 'slow burn' story that has seen the two characters grow and support each other both professionally and personally over the course of the show's eight seasons.

  • The Rookie airs new season 8 episodes every Monday night on ABC.
  • The interview with Eric Winter took place earlier this month.

The players

Eric Winter

The actor who plays the character of Tim Bradford on the ABC drama series The Rookie.

Melissa O'Neil

The actress who plays the character of Lucy Chen on The Rookie.

Nathan Fillion

The actor who plays the character of John Nolan on The Rookie.

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What they’re saying

“Well, the idea of Chenford was created by the fans. They were never written on the show—remember, Lucy dated [John] Nolan (Nathan Fillion) in the beginning! Even though Tim and Lucy were never structured to be a couple, the fans created the story in their minds that he's a good guy and he's broken and really cares about her. The fans built this into something that made the writers listen, and they crafted this amazing slow burn of a story.”

— Eric Winter, Actor (Good Housekeeping)

“Tim has been there to make Lucy the best version of herself in the department, and she's been there to make Tim the best version of himself outside of the department. They've been on this journey of growth, and they really are helping each other with their flaws and failures.”

— Eric Winter, Actor (Good Housekeeping)

“I think fans have really been able to relate to Tim and Lucy's story. They are seemingly opposites—does this mean they really belong with each other? I think they do, and they help each other. And nobody expected it to be as impactful as it is, and will continue to be.”

— Eric Winter, Actor (Good Housekeeping)

The takeaway

The relationship between Tim and Lucy on 'The Rookie' is a prime example of how dedicated TV show fans can influence the creative direction of a series. By rallying behind the 'Chenford' pairing, viewers were able to convince the writers to develop the characters' romance, which has now become a central part of the show's narrative.