For nineteen seasons, Ellen Pompeo has played Dr. Meredith Gray in the popular TV series Grey’s Anatomy – but now the star confirms his defection. “I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have shown me,” Pompeo writes on Instagram.
Since its premiere in 2005, the hit series has Grey’s Anatomy revolved around the doctor Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Elle Pompeo. Last week, however, Pompeo made an announcement that shook fans: the nineteenth season will be her last.
Ellen Pompeo: “Eternally grateful”
The actress announced the news in a post on Instagram:
“I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have 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 are all loyal and you have all made the journey so fun and iconic! I love you guys so much and appreciate you back,” she wrote.
For fans mourning Pompeo’s departure, future forays into the series don’t appear to be entirely out of the question:
“I will definitely come back to visit,” she wrote.

Grey’s Anatomy creator: ‘Isn’t a goodbye’
Even the creator of the series, Shonda Rhimes, hinted that Pompeo could appear in the series in the future in a post where she paid tribute to the actress:
“What a crazy ride these nineteen seasons have been. None of it would have been possible without the incomparable @ellenpompeo, the one and only Meredith Grey,” she wrote, continuing:
“This is not a stop, it’s a see you later! I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Ellen, Meredith and Gray Sloan Memorial. #greysanatomy”.
