I was axed from one of the biggest shows of the noughties – after nine series it felt mean and unjust
A FORMER star of a hit TV drama has opened up about being written out of the show.
Decorated screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, created US medical drama Grey’s Anatomy back in 2005 and it has aired 20 seasons to date on ABC in the US.
Sarah Drew played Dr April Kepner on the medical drama for nine seasons, from 2009–2018.
But she was let go from the show after season 14, when her option was not picked up.
During an appearance on the Call It What It Is podcast, co-hosted by Drew’s former co-stars Jessica Capshaw and Camilla Luddington, Drew explained how badly she felt about leaving the show, which is available to watch in the UK on Disney+.
She said: “[I] was unceremoniously let go in a way that felt mean and unjust, and because of that, the outpouring of love was so enormous it was like you were sitting there watching people [eulogize you],”
After the news broke that Sarah and Jessica were exiting the medical drama in the same season, Sarah took to social media to address her fans and posted: “I know you’re sad. I’m sad too, I haven’t really had the time to process this information.
“I’ve been with it for less than 48 hours, so I’m not ready to say my thank yous and give an all-encompassing statement about my 9 years here.”
Sarah briefly returned to the show three seasons later and told the podcast hosts: “I have no attachment to [the show] at all. I had zero anxiety.
“I don’t need anything from anyone on that set anymore. They’re not responsible for my livelihood anymore. They’re not responsible for my success or my joy… I’m like, ‘Hey, this is a fun spot to come visit.”
The star also revealed that her character originally was supposed to have a one-night stand with Eric Dane’s Mark Sloan.
She said: “Before they made my character love Jesus and a virgin, there’s a scene where Sloan and Reed [Nora Zehetner] have sex, a random one-night stand. That was supposed to be me originally. It was supposed to be April.”
It is not the first time someone has felt bad about the way they exited Grey’s Anatomy.
Eric Dane, who nowadays stars opposite Zendaya in HBO teen drama Euphoria, played Dr. Mark Sloan, aka ‘McSteamy’ for six seasons as a regular.
He departed the show in season nine, after Mark succumbed to injuries sustained in a plane crash at the end of season eight.
But in an interview earlier this year, Eric admitted he had been secretly fired, a fact many fans of the show had not previously known.
Season 21 of Grey’s Anatomy is available to stream on Disney+ in the UK.