ABC has officially announced the renewal of Grey’s Anatomy for a 20th season. This makes the show the longest-running prime-time medical drama in the history of television. The 19th season of the series is currently being aired on the network.
Apart from announcing the renewal, ABC also announced executive producer Meg Marinis as the new showrunner following the exit of Krista Vernoff. Grey’s Anatomy premiered back in 2005 and is still one of the most-watched shows on ABC.
Grey’s Anatomy Renewed for Season 20 on ABC
The confirmation comes just a few weeks after cast member Kim Raver expressed his hopes for the 20th season in an interview. She had said, “Let’s keep going. We would all love season 20. There feels something very momentous about season 20. I just feel like there’s [something] inherently in Grey’s Anatomy and the amazing way to tell human stories.”
Meg Marinis, who has been with the show since its third season and has written 25 episodes so far, will now take over as the showrunner. The current showrunner, Krista Vernoff, announced her decision to move away from Grey’s Anatomy and its spin-off Station 19 in January this year.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be entrusted to run Grey’s Anatomy for the past six years and Station 19 for the last four. The passion of the dedicated fandoms and the impact that these shows have on hearts and minds cannot be overstated. The amount of talent in these two extraordinary casts and these two brilliant writers’ rooms is beyond measure,” she said.
The Current Season Has Featured Several Changes
The 19th season of the show has been in the news for the number of changes it introduced, the most prominent being the demotion of Ellen Pompeo from being a regular cast member to recurring. The actress who plays Meredith Grey continues to work as the narrator of the show and is expected to feature in the season finale.
Kelly McCreary, who played Maggie Pierce for nine seasons, also bid adieu to the show recently. “It has been a tremendous honor to be a part of such a legendary television institution as Grey’s Anatomy. Playing Maggie Pierce has been one of the true joys of my life and I leave with profound gratitude for every step of this journey,” she said in a statement.
The show has also introduced a batch of new interns, which includes Alexis Floyd as Dr. Simon Griffin, Adelaide Kane as Dr. Jules Millin, Niko Terho as Dr. Lucas Adams, Midori Francis as Dr. Mika Yasuda, and Harry Shum Jr. as Dr. Daniel “Blue” Kwan.
Grey’s Anatomy Ranks Among the Top Shows on ABC
Despite being in its 19th season, Grey’s Anatomy continues to draw huge viewership for ABC. The show ranks number one show in the adults 18-49 demographic. It averages a viewership of 10.7 million in each episode across all platforms.
The ratings are said to be the driving force behind the show’s renewal. The series also stars Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Caterina Scorsone, Camilla Luddington, Kevin McKidd, Kelly McCreary, Chris Carmack, Jake Borelli, and Anthony Hill.
Grey’s Anatomy season 19 airs Wednesdays at 9 pm ET on ABC.