Grey’s Anatomy‘s record-breaking run will continue — with its leading lady Ellen Pompeo. ABC has renewed Shondaland’s hugely popular medical drama for a 19th season, and Pompeo has signed a new one-year deal to continue as the show’s title character, Meredith Grey. Pompeo also has been upped from co-executive producer to executive producer for Season 19. Fellow executive producer Krista Vernoff will remain at the helm of the series as showrunner.
Just like it did at the time of the Season 18 renewal in May 2021, ABC is not designating Season 19 as a final one for the show or its star Pompeo — for now.
Deadline revealed last month that renewal talks between ABC and producing studio ABC Signature were underway for a potential 19th season of Grey’s Anatomy and that Pompeo also had been approached about staying on the show for another season. Negotiations progressed quickly, and it came down to closing a deal with Pompeo, which happened last week.
Pompeo, who in the past couple of years has been open about her desire to bring Grey’s Anatomy to an end and has been plotting her post-Grey’s career, last spring agreed to a one-year deal for Season 18. She was one of three remaining original cast members whose contracts were up at the end of Season 17; the other two, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr., signed multi-year new pacts that include Season 19, I hear. The other key element for a renewal, showrunner Vernoff, is under a multi-year overall deal with ABC Signature which she also signed last year.
Eighteen seasons in, Grey’s Anatomy, created and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, remains ABC’s No. 1 show in adults 18-48 and is tied as the No. 1 broadcast drama in the key demo this season.
“Grey’s Anatomy is a true phenomenon, beloved by audiences around the world. Whether they catch it live on ABC, or stream it on Hulu or globally on Disney+ or Star+, it’s clear that fans can’t get enough of Shonda Rhimes’ brilliant creation,” said Dana Walden, chairman of Entertainment, Walt Disney Television. “We have enormous faith in Shonda, Krista Vernoff, Ellen Pompeo and the entire creative team to unlock new, untold stories that will continue to focus on modern medicine, tackle the issues that shape the world around us, and resonate deeply with loyal fans for years to come.”
Per ABC, Grey’s Anatomy next season “will explore the ever-expanding world of modern medicine through the eyes of beloved returning and new characters.”
(Excerpt) Read more in: Deadline