Former Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington — who was axed from the show in 2007 after spewing a homophobic slur at T.R. Knight — is slamming the show for firing Brooke Smith.

“I looked at a brilliant actress, whom I have adored since I first saw her in Silence of the Lambs,” he says in the Nov. 17 issue of TV Guide. “For her to be treated this way, I find very interesting.”

Grey’s creator Shonda Rhimes released a statement last week insisting that “Brooke Smith was obviously not fired for playing a lesbian …. we did not find that the magic and chemistry with Brooke’s character would sustain in the long run.”

Regardless, Washington says the move was harsh.

“The fact is that, just before the holidays, you have a mother, a wonderful actress removed from a steady income without the proper reasoning behind it…” he says.

“You look at the way another consummate professional [is] being treated because her character, her story line [has] potentially made producers uncomfortable.”

He says Rhimes is getting the raw deal.

“Now that I see what they’re doing to a show that I love and I care about, I think it’s disgusting,” Washington continues. “The fact that Shonda has been put in this position is extremely unfair.

“It’s unfortunate because it was probably, at the time, the most progressive show on television,” he says. “Now I see it [being] systematically torn apart.”

How can the show be fixed?

“Bring Burke back!” Washington says.

So he would return to the show, despite all the drama? “Absolutely!”

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