Is Grey’s Anatomy coming to an end?
Eric Dane, who plays Dr. Mark Sloan (better known as “McSteamy”) on the hit drama, announced his departure on Thursday. He told TVLine in a statement:
“I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey‘s, ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run. It has been wonderful to work alongside and learn from a creative force such as Shonda Rhimes.”
Show creator Shonda Rhimes adds that it wasn’t an easy decision for Dane, who has been a major character since the early days of Grey’s.
“After much consideration and conversations, he and I have decided that this is the right time for his storyline to end,” she told TVLine. “We’re a big family here at Grey‘s with a long history together and Eric will always remain an important part of our family.”
Dane will slowly disappear from the show in its ninth season, starting up again Sept 27th. According to sources, Dane’s character is expected to survive the plain crash and “return for a proper send-off.”
Dane’s exit comes after Rhimes confirmed that Chyler Leigh, who plays Lexie, and Kim Raver, Teddy, will not be returning for season 9.
Things aren’t looking good for Grey’s!