Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo, known for playing Meredith Grey on the medical drama series, will step down in the series’ return to ABC in 2023, according to TVLine. Pompeo will make a final appearance in the mid-season premiere, as her character Meredith gears up to move from Seattle to Boston, leaving her on-again-off-again boyfriend Nick, played by Scott Speedman (Underworld, The Strangers), via TVLine. 

The series centers around the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors, and has been on the air since 2005. In the mid-season return, Nick confronts Meredith about her decision to leave without warning him, leading Meredith to share an emotional conversation with new resident Simone, played by Alexis Floyd (Inventing Anna, The Bold Type), according to TVLine. The episode will also feature the heated competition amongst interns, as Dr. Maggie Pierce, played by Kelly McCreary (Castle, White Collar), prepares to perform a partial heart transplant and will take a rookie to join her during the procedure, via TVLine. 

In addition to Pompeo, Speedman, Floyd, and McCreary, the series’ cast includes Chandra Wilson (Lone Star, Accidental Friendship), James Pickens Jr. (Menace II Society, 42), Justin Chambers (The Wedding Planner, The Musketeer), Kevin McKidd (Trainspotting, Dog Soldiers), and Jesse Williams (The Cabin in the Woods, Brooklyn’s Finest). 

Showrunner Krista Vernoff, also known for Shameless and Station 19, shares with TVLine that Pompeo “is a powerhouse, and Meredith is iconic. [The show] has always had a tremendous cast of actors who can carry any amount of the story. So while we will desperately miss Ellen and Meredith, I think there’s a lot of story to tell.”

Grey’s Anatomy will return to ABC Thursday, Feb. 23 at 9/8c.