Is Ellen Pompeo leaving Grey's Anatomy?

Yes, Ellen Pompeo is leaving Grey's Anatomy. After playing the titular role of Dr. Meredith Grey for 19 years, Ellen Kathleen Pompeo finally stepped back from the longest-running American Medical Drama, Grey's Anatomy. Pompeo is an American actress who was propelled to fame by starring in the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The first season of the show was released back in 2005 and Pompeo has been a part of the show since the very start.

The show revolves around Pompeo's beloved character Meredith Grey and her journey from being Seattle Grace Hospital's medical intern to the chief of surgery. Pompeo did not only receive immense love for her role but she also went on to win many accolades and was nominated for various awards. She also was titled as one of the world's highest-paid actresses in 2017.

Is Ellen Pompeo completely leaving Grey's Anatomy?

Ellen Pompeo stepped back from Grey's Anatomy in its 19th season. The actress bid adieu from the show as a regular but would at times make an appearance on the show. Although she may not star on the show as a regular cast member, she would continue to narrate the rest of the season and fulfill her duties as an executive producer. This might also lead to her making appearances at times on the show.

Pompeo broke the news of her exiting from Grey's Anatomy on her Instagram handle on November 17, 2022. She thanked her fans for supporting her character for over two decades. Her caption read, "I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have all shown me, Meredith GREY, and the show for 19 seasons! Through it all….none of it …would have been possible without the best fans in the world. You all are RIDERS and you all have made the ride so fun and ICONIC!! I love you madly and appreciate you right back."

Why is Ellen Pompeo leaving Grey's Anatomy?

During her guest appearance on Drew Barrymore's show The Drew Barrymore's Show, Ellen Pompeo got candid about her decision to leave Grey's Anatomy and explained the actual reason. Pompeo said, "I feel super happy, but listen, the show has been incredible to me and I’ve loved a lot of the experience." She also added, "Listen, it’s just, I gotta mix it up a little bit."

Pompeo then explained, "I’m 53. My brain is like scrambled eggs, I gotta do something new or I’m literally gonna turn into like, you can’t do the New York Times crossword puzzle every single day. I mean, 19 years, that’s more than people keep their kids in their house, like people keep their kids in their house until they’re 18 and then they send them off to college. So this is like me like going away to college."

How many seasons of Grey's Anatomy are there?

There are 19 seasons of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The show was recently renewed for another season by ABC. During the 20th season, the fans won't be seeing Ellen Pompeo and Kelly McCreary anymore, as they have stepped back from the show in season 19 itself.

Season 20 of Grey's Anatomy might be released by the end of October 2023 according to Radio Times. However, it is to be noted that there are no official confirmations of the release date.