The door is always open for Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, and it looks like folks will get to see more of her when Grey's Anatomy season 21 premieres.
More than a year after Ellen exited the ABC drama as a full-time cast member in February 2023, Deadline revealed that fans haven't seen the last of Meredith on their TV screens. While folks have seen the character pop in and out throughout Grey's Anatomy seasons 19 and 20, the outlet reports that the titular character will be back in a more regular capacity throughout the 2024-2025 TV season.
The publication noted Ellen is slated to appear in at least seven episodes throughout the new season (which airs starting Thursday, September 26, 2024), with the number potentially increasing throughout the installment.
"She’s always a huge part of the show; we have an open door policy with her. When she is able to be here, we welcome her with open arms," Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Meg Marinis told Deadline in a separate story back in March. "She’s constantly in my head, her voice."
As viewers may remember, Meredith last appeared during the season 20 finale of Grey's Anatomy. At the time, she had enlisted her friends Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) to help with her secret Alzheimer's research, which led to the latter two being fired by their boss Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen) from Grey Sloan Memorial. Meredith, on the other hand, chose to not give up on her project and publish the research online (instead of giving her notes away to another scientist).
It's also important to note that Ellen reportedly chose to take some time away from filming Grey's Anatomy in order to work on other projects. Despite not being onscreen as often, she still maintains her role as an executive producer and the show's narrator.
Given how the show is always dropping bombshells, it's likely Meredith's return to the show will be teased in some shape or form. But until we know more about what's to come, it looks like we'll need to keep our fingers crossed and wait for the season 21 premiere!
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
