Grey’s Anatomy has cast a new male doctor.
New Zealand actor Martin Henderson (Secrets & Lies) joins ABC’s medical drama for season twelve, according to TVLine. Not much is known about his character but he is expected to play a new surgeon at Seattle Grace.
Henderson is filling the gap left by the departure of Patrick Dempsey. Dempsey’s character Dr. Derek Shepherd, nicknamed McDreamy, was killed off in season eleven. His death has prompted a fan petition to bring his character back, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Creator and showrunner, Shonda Rhimes, discussed Dempsey’s departure back in April in a statement. Rhimes says she, “absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our ‘McDreamy.'” She also teased the potential for more change in the show’s twelfth season. “Meredith and the entire Grey’s Anatomy family are about to enter uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life. The possibilities for what may come are endless. As Ellis Grey would say: The carousel never stops turning.”
Henderson has worked with Rhimes before in previous roles. Henderson played the lead doctor in the 2011 ABC medical drama Off The Map that Rhimes executive produced. Henderson was also in the ABC pilot Inside The Box from Rhimes that wasn’t picked up, according to Deadline.
In other Grey’s Anatomy news, actor Jason George has been promoted to series regular. George plays Dr. Ben Warren and has made 42 guest star appearances on the show.
Season twelve of Grey’s Anatomy will premiere on ABC on September 24.