“You never know, I may pop up. You never know. No promises though.”

Don’t be shocked if Sarah Paulson appears in some capacity for the new season of American Horror Story.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress had declined to return for the upcoming ninth season after appearing as a main character for the show’s first eight instalments.

Throughout her time on the show, Paulson has won heaps of acclaim, earning five Primetime Emmy Award nominations (without a win – can you believe?) so her departure was met with shock and disappointment from fans.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, however, the star revealed that she might “pop up” in the new season.

“It’s a little bittersweet because I have a lot of friends who are still on the show,” she said. “So I’m getting updates about how it’s all going and what they’re doing, and I’m like, ‘Wait, what? You worked until two? Oh, I remember working until two.'”

Paulson continued: “And then I’m also very glad that I can wake up at a decent hour because I’m not cross-eyed from having worked insane nights. But, it’ll be hard. I’ll be watching and cheering everybody on. I’m really excited for this season.

“I think it’s a really cool idea for the show this year. And you never know, I may pop up. You never know. No promises though.”

The ninth season of American Horror Story will premiere 18 September on FX. Titled 1984, this season of the acclaimed horror anthology series will travel back to the 80s (duh) and will be set at a summer camp called Camp Redwood.

It will take inspiration from iconic slasher movies like Sleepaway Camp, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday The 13th as a murderer known as Mr Jingles is on the loose from an asylum.

Gus Kenworthy is set to make his acting debut in 1984, and will be joined by previous AHS stars such as Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Cody Fern and Leslie Grossman, as well as newcomers Matthew Morrison, DeRon Horton, Zach Villa and Angelica Ross.

It will be the first season to not feature series mainstay Evan Peters.

You can find out everything you need to know about American Horror Story: 1984 here.