Ellen Pompeo Waves Farewell to the Iconic Grey’s Anatomy Series

Ellen Pompeo, who stars as Meredith Grey in the critically acclaimed, Grey’s Anatomy, bids farewell to the series in an episode teaser.

Grey Sloan Memorial: A place to forever call home. #GreysAnatomy pic.twitter.com/A44iWwcu03

— Grey’s Anatomy (@GreysABC) February 16, 2023

Pompeo is leaving the series after 19 seasons in the longest-running medical drama to date. Her beloved character, Meredith Grey, has been in every season since 2005 and featured in almost 400 episodes.

Meredith has seen her fair share of death, including moments when she was close to her own demise. She's survived almost drowning, being beaten up by a patient, a hospital shooting, and COVID. In this season she is moving to Boston for a better education for her daughter Zola (Aniela Gumbs).

The new season premiered on October 6, 2022. This season Ellen Pompeo will be reducing her involvement in the series.

Pompeo hinted at her departure from the series back in November 2022 with a post on her Instagram.

Pompeo stated in an interview on The Drew Barrymore Show that she wanted to move on to different projects. "I feel super happy, but listen," she comments, "The show has been incredible to me and I’ve loved a lot of the experience. Listen, it’s just, I gotta mix it up a little bit."

The second half of season 19 will begin on February 23. She will appear in only eight episodes this season, but will still finish her voiceover narration and executive producer tasks.

Pompeo's next project will be to produce and star in a Hulu series about orphans. In addition, she told Barrymore she wanted to focus on spending more time with her three children at home.

Although Pompeo is the lead character, she suggested the series will be able to continue without her. Some fans expressed their declining interest in the most recent seasons, especially if Meredith Grey is no longer a character.

There is no way Grey's Anatomy will last for long after Meredith is gone. I've been lacking of enthusiasm about the show for a long time already but it's about time to let it go... I'll always appreciate the earlier seasons.

— Sienna (@winonasrider) February 16, 2023

Grey's Anatomy will continue with the addition of new medical interns as series regulars: Simone Griffith (Alexis Floyd), Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis), Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane), Benson "Blue" Kwan (Harry Shum Jr.) and Lucas Adams (Niko Terho).

Grey's Anatomy will return on March 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.