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Ellen Pompeo Hinted at the End of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ & I’m Already Crying at the Thought

Even though some people find themselves shocked that Grey’s Anatomy is still making new episodes, for fans, the mere thought of the show ending is upsetting. Ahead of this week’s season 15 premiere, Ellen Pompeo spoke to Entertainment Weekly about what to expect, other castmembers, and more — including the dreaded end of the show.

EW asked Pompeo if she sees herself sticking with the show beyond season 16, which her current contract runs through. “I’m clearly not prepared right now to make any formal announcement about what my future is on the show, but I am really feeling like we have told the majority of the stories that we can tell,” she said. “It’s about time that I mix it up. I’m definitely looking for a change.”

Pompeo has been the show’s star (Meredith Grey) since the first season, which aired in 2005. This means that it’ll be hard to continue the show without her. She previously told Us Weekly that any decision she makes regarding Grey’s will be made with the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes. 

But even Rhimes has moved on from Grey’s. She ended up handing off her showrunning duties to Executive Producer Krista Vernoff. Rhimes still plans to return to write the final episode, though.

“I have written the end of the show at least six times,” Rhimes told EW. “But we just don’t end. Every time I thought, ‘This is how the show should end,’ we’ve gone past those moments, so I’ve stopped trying. I have no idea now.”

Season 15 of Grey’s premieres September 27 on ABC.

Follow Allison on Twitter @AllisonMCrist.