Ellen Pompeo Will Return For Season 19 Of Grey’s Anatomy

Published on January 12, 2022.

Eric McCandless / ©ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

Meredith Grey’s story won’t be ending anytime soon!

On Monday, ABC announced that Ellen Pompeo will return for season 19 of the long-running medical drama series. According to a press release obtained by PEOPLE, the season will continue to explore the world of modern medicine through both new and returning characters. Executive producer and showrunner Krista Vernoff will continue to lead the series.

“Grey’s Anatomy has a global impact that can’t be overstated,” Vernoff said. “Grey’s touches, and sometimes changes, hearts and minds worldwide through the depth of connection people feel with these characters. I’m excited to work with our extraordinary writers to dream up where we go from here, and I’m always grateful to our partners at Disney and ABC for letting us tell bold stories with real impact.”

The show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, also released a statement regarding the show’s return. “I couldn’t be more excited that we get to keep telling the stories of Meredith, Bailey, Richard and all of the other doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial for another season,” said creator Shonda Rhimes. “This is a true testament to Krista Vernoff, the cast, the crew and all the writers who keep the audience on the edge of their seat week after week. And it would not be possible without the generations of incredible fans who have supported Grey’s Anatomy for so many years.”

Ellen Pompeo has been vocal in recent months about the possibility of the show ending, which definitely concerned fans. She even explained that she’s been “trying to get away for years.”

“It’s not because I haven’t been trying,” she said of stepping away from Grey’s Anatomy. “I have strong relationships at the network [ABC] and they have been very, very good to me, and have incentivized me to stay.”