'Grey's Anatomy' Will Return For an 18th Season

ABC

Dr. Meredith Grey's isn't going anywhere—at least through Season 18 of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. The network announced today, May 10th, that Grey's will return for another season, as will lead actress Ellen Pompeo, who's character is still suffering through the throes of COVID-19.

The show's renewal comes after series regulars Giacomo Gianniotti and Jesse Williams announced they would be ending their contracts. Giannotti's character Andrew DeLuca went out with a bang during the Season 17 midseason premiere in March, and Williams will be wrapping up his character Dr. Jackson Avery's storyline come his final episode on May 20th.

However, as Variety reports, Pompeo will continue her time at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital alongside Chandra Wilson (who plays Miranda Bailey) and James Pickens Jr. (Dr. Richard Webber).

In August 2020, Pompeo told Dax Shepard during an appearance on his podcast, Armchair Expert, that she had been hemming and hawing about staying on the show. "Certainly, I think to dip out sooner rather than later at this point, having done what we've done, to leave while the show is still on top is definitely a goal," she said. "I'm not trying to stay on the show forever. No way. "

At that point, her contract to stay on Grey's had not been renewed and would come to an end with Season 17. And in March, negotiations for Grey's future were still being hashed out, with showrunner Krista Vernoff having to tentatively plan for both a series and season finale. However, the show will seemingly go on for at least another season, and Pompeo renewed her contract and remains the highest-paid female actor on TV, according to Variety.

Grey's Anatomy continues to be the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history, having kicked off in 2005. And with another season ahead of them, we can't wait to see where the series will take its' beloved characters next.