Will Grey's Anatomy be renewed for a 22nd Season?

Grey's Anatomy has been renewed for a 22nd season officially. The news was revealed by ABC before the current Season 21 finale, which airs on May 15. Variety reports that the network announced the medical drama renewal as part of an overall update on a number of its highest-performing series, which also included 9-1-1, Will Trent, The Rookie, and Shifting Gears.

This means to Grey's Anatomy, which premiered way back in 2005 and will get extended into a long-time series. The show just marked its 20th anniversary last March 2025 and is still the longest-running scripted primetime show on ABC. The series chronicles the lives of physicians working in Seattle Grace Hospital, which was later renamed Grey Sloan Memorial.

For most of the show's run, the series focused on Meredith Grey, who was portrayed by Ellen Pompeo. Even though she phased out from full-time participation from Season 19, Pompeo still makes occasional appearances.

ABC's renewal of the show is a testament to its continued popularity and loyal fan base. The show has been able to weather cast replacement and changes in showrunners without losing steam. With a new season on the horizon, Grey's Anatomy is not going away anytime soon.

ABC confirms Grey's Anatomy Season 22

ABC has picked up Grey's Anatomy for season 22, according to Variety. The network announced the move before Season 21's finale, which airs on May 15, 2025. The series is still a staple of ABC's prime-time programming and continues to pull in viewers after over two decades on television.

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The renewal was part of a batch of renewals for other top ABC shows. In addition to Grey's Anatomy, 9-1-1, The Rookie, Will Trent, and Shifting Gears were also renewed for new seasons. This indicates the network's ongoing faith in its veteran series.

Grey's Anatomy is produced by 20th Television. It is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes through her Shondaland banner. Other executive producers are Betsy Beers, Meg Marinis (current showrunner), Mark Gordon, Debbie Allen, and Zoanne Clack. Marinis replaced Krista Vernoff, who departed after Season 19 but still serves as an executive producer.

The main cast now is Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kim Raver, Kevin McKidd, Harry Shum Jr., Camilla Luddington, Caterina Scorsone, Kelly McCreary, Chris Carmack, Anthony Hill, Alexis Floyd, Adelaide Kane, and Niko Terho. Ellen Pompeo still makes a recurring appearance.

What to expect from Grey's Anatomy now?

Although Ellen Pompeo left her regular role, she has assured that she will make appearances in the series from time to time. In an interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Pompeo stated:

"I'll always pop in and out. That’s my home and I don’t think [Debbie Allen] will let me ever leave completely."

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When asked if she believed the series would keep going, Pompeo said:

"I think for sure, yeah. I don't think that show will ever end. I don't know."

Her words imply a future of many years for the series, even without her in a permanent capacity. Series creator Shonda Rhimes spoke about the future of the show in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Rhimes no longer plots the end of the show and has incorporated a lot of her previous ideas for the series finale into previous seasons.

"I have zero endings for Grey’s now. I mean, literally zero," she explained.

"So, after a while, I just started writing those things that I thought would happen at the end into the show, because it wasn't ending."

This practice demonstrates that the creative team is interested in narrating continuous stories without mapping out a last season anytime soon. With regular viewership and a solid fan base, the show is stable in ABC's lineup.

Grey's Anatomy will be back for Season 22. ABC announced the renewal before the Season 21 finale.

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Edited by Sarah Nazamuddin Harniswala