Who's In and Who's Out on Grey's Anatomy

Warning: this post contains spoilers for the next season of Grey's Anatomy.

"Leaving Grey's Anatomy was not an easy decision for me to make. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this character and will miss my fellow cast and crew very much," said T.R. Knight in a statement that confirmed earlier reports that he would not be returning to the ABC medical drama.
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Knight's screentime as Dr. George O'Malley had been noticably reduced during the past season. Grey's creator and showrunner Shonda Rhimes has said that the change in the character's screentime was done intentionally so that fans would not find it odd when O'Malley was missing from much of the season finale episode. In a stunning twist, fans and O'Malley's fellow Seattle Grace doctors learned that he had been admitted to the hospital as a patient -- as a critically injured "John Doe" who had been disfigured beyond recognition after pushing a woman out of the path of an oncoming bus and being struck himself. O'Malley's fate and the fate Grey's doctor Izzie Stevens were left in limbo at the end of the episode.

Katherine Heigl, who won an Emmy in 2007 for her work as Izzie Stevens, will be returning to the show. The character spent much of the past season battling stage IV metastatic cancer and flat-lined after surgery to remove a brain tumor.

Heigl's relationship with the show has become contentious over the past couple of years as her profile as a movie star has risen. Heigl went as far as to remove her name from Emmy consideration in 2008, stating publicly that the writing for her character had been so poor that season that she should not be considered for the award. In 2009 however, her character had a major story arc and Heigl stated that she wanted to remain on Grey's Anatomy.

Actress Jessica Capshaw, who plays pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins and Dr. Callie Torres' girlfriend, will also be returning for the show's sixth season. Capshaw has been upped to a series regular. [Associated Press via Yahoo! News][Hollywood Reporter]

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Fate of Grey's Anatomy Character Confirmed?

Warning: this post contains a potential spoiler for the next season of Grey's Anatomy.

Ever since the shocking Grey's Anatomy finale, fans have been speculating right and left about the fates of George and Izzie.

If Michael Ausiello's sources are correct, showrunner Shonda Rimes has finally decided what's happening with one of those characters -- and it looks like George O'Malley is a goner. In business terms, "T.R. Knight's wish to be released from his contract has been granted."

Both Knight, who plays O'Malley, and Katherine Heigel of Izzie Stevens fame have made no secret of their unhappiness with aspects of the show and the treatment of their respective characters.

Rimes has dismissed rumors that O'Malley, who was disfigured beyond recognition in the finale after being struck by a bus, would be played by a new actor next season. [Entertainment Weekly]

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