ABC has renewed the popular medical programme Grey’s Anatomy for Season 20, Also, the network said that executive producer Meg Marinis would take over as showrunner for the upcoming season in place of Krista Vernoff, who is leaving.
Grey’s Anatomy, which made its ABC debut in 2005, will continue to be the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history thanks to the renewal. It continues to be a ratings juggernaut, ranking as ABC’s top entertainment programme among the crucial adults 18-49 audience. Thursday, May 18, is the date for the Season 19 finale.
From Season 15, Marinis has served as an executive producer on Grey’s Anatomy. She began working on the programme as a writer’s production assistant in Season 3 and progressed to staff writer before becoming an EP. Throughout this time, she has written a total of 35 episodes. She will succeed Vernoff, who declared her resignation from Grey’s and Station 19 back in January.
Vernoff said in a statement that managing Grey’s Anatomy for the past six years and Station 19 for the previous four years had been “a honour of a lifetime.” “It is impossible to overestimate the intensity of the devoted fandoms and the effect that these shows have on people’s hearts and minds. There is an immeasurable amount of skill in these two remarkable casts and these two outstanding writing rooms, and these teams consistently produce amazing stuff.
In front of the camera, Grey’s has also seen a change in leadership: Series star Ellen Pompeo is no longer a full-time cast member, and her final episode as a series regular aired last month. She is expected to make sporadic appearances as Meredith Grey, including the season finale in May and at least one episode before that.
Several new actors were added to the roster at the beginning of Season 19 to play the new group of first-year surgical residents. Other regulars include Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Anthony Hill as Winston Ndugu, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Kim Raver as Teddy Altman, Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Chris Carmack as Link Lincoln, and Jake Borelli as Levi Schmitt.