Ellen Pompeo Leaving Grey's Anatomy After 19 Seasons

Ellen Pompeo is hanging up her white coat. 

The actress confirmed today that she would be departing Grey's Anatomy after 19 years. The news comes following her character's scaled back presence in the current season of Shonda Rhimes' medical drama and decision to move to Boston and research Alzheimer's disease, a cause close to Meredith's heart. 

Pompeo expressed her gratitude to fans of the show in an Instagram post Thursday afternoon. "I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have all shown me, Meredith GREY and the show for 19 seasons!" she wrote. "Through it all….none of it …would have been possible without the best fans in the world." 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ellen Pompeo (@ellenpompeo)

Pompeo appeared in over 400 episodes during her tenure on the series, and said she'd "definitely be back to visit" the show, leaving the door open to don Meredith Grey's scrubs again in the future. 

Grey's Anatomy is currently in its 19th season on ABC. Seasons 1-18 are streaming on Netflix.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She was previously a reporter/producer at Decider and is a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.