Is Ellen Pompeo Leaving 'Grey's Anatomy'?

Ellen Pompeo has been the star of Grey's Anatomy since it first aired in 2005. Today, she also serves as the narrator and executive producer.

The show would most definitely not be the same without her character, Meredith Grey, but in recent years, fans have been worried Pompeo would be bowing out at any moment.

With Season 19 on the way, which would be the 17th year of the ABC series, the question has once again been raised: Is Ellen Pompeo Leaving Grey's Anatomy?

Newsweek has everything you need to know.

Is Ellen Pompeo Leaving Grey's Anatomy?

There is bittersweet news for fans of Meredith Grey and Grey's Anatomy.

The good news is that Pompeo will be back for Season 19, but the bad news is that she will be stepping back from her role as a lead character in the upcoming series.

Pompeo extended her deal with ABC through to Season 19, which is set to air on Sunday, October 6, 2022.

However, things will look a little different as Pompeo is expected to appear in a "limited capacity" of just eight episodes out of the show's 20 to 23 episodes that will air, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Fans will still be able to hear Meredith Grey's reassuring voice, as Pompeo will continue to narrate each episode, just like before.

There are also a whole host of new characters set to be getting to work at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, including Reign's Adelaide Kaine as Jules, Glee's Harry Shum Jr. as Daniel, The Thing About Harry's Niko Terho as Lucas, Inventing Anna's Alexis Floyd as Simone Griffin and Sex Lives of College Girls star Midori Francis as Mika.

TV Line reported that Pompeo is scaling back her role to focus on other opportunities.

On Wednesday, July 3, Hulu confirmed Pompeo would star in and executive produce an upcoming Hulu series called Untitled Orphan Project.

The series is based on the true story of a Midwestern couple who adopt an eight-year-old girl with a rare form of dwarfism. However, as they begin to raise her at home, they soon discover their adopted daughter is not who she says she is.

In recent years, Pompeo has spoken about her future on Grey's Anatomy, suggesting her time on the show would come to an end at some point.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight about a Grey's Anatomy without Meredith Gray, Pompeo said: "Shonda [Rhimes] and I, I think — we'll see, we'll see.

"Trying to reinvent the show and continually trying to reinvent the show is the challenge at this point, and listen, the show speaks to a lot of people, and the young people love the show. It's inspired so many generations of healthcare workers, so, I think for the young people, it's a really good piece of content and we're going to try to keep it going for the young people, not necessarily with me, but keep it going beyond me."

In a separate interview with Insider, Pompeo shared that she was ready for the show to end.

She said: "I've been trying to focus on convincing everybody that it should end.
"​I feel like I'm the super naive one who keeps saying, 'But what's the story going to be, what story are we going to tell?' And everyone's like, 'Who cares, Ellen? It makes a gazillion dollars.'"

Grey's Anatomy Season 19 premieres on Sunday, October 6, on ABC.