Spoiler Ahead!!! (more…)

Katherine Heigl’s character Dr. Izzie Stevens revealed she’s dying of cancer on last night’s Grey’s Anatomy — a scoop Us Weekly first reported eight months ago.

On the show, Izzie asked her interns do diagnose “Patient X” — which they don’t know is really her. Lexie (Chyler Leigh) discovers it’s metastatic melanoma — skin cancer — and it’s spread to her brain. (Which explains those hallucinations earlier this season of her dead ex Denny Ducette, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan.)

“The girl’s pretty much toast,” an intern says. “Survival rate is five percent,” adds another.

In July, Us Weekly reported show higher ups were considering killing Heigl off after she withdrew from Emmy contention because she didn’t feel she was “given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.”

“[Producer] Shonda [Rhimes] and the writers are pissed at her,” the source told Us then, adding that producers were considering giving her a brain tumor. “It’s their way of screwing with her. She won’t know whether she’s going to live or die.”

(”If her character does get a brain tumor, she’ll probably get an Emmy!” a source joked to Us.)

ABC denied Izzie would die, saying, “Katherine is absolutely staying with the show.” Rhimes also said “No” when asked about the plot.

In February, James Pickens Jr. (hospital chief Dr. Richard Webber) confirmed to Usmagazine.com that she’s leaving the show.

“Wherever Katherine goes, I wish her nothing but the best,” he told Us.

“Katherine is ready to move on to the next chapter,” a set source told Us then.

Also out the door, according to Pickens: T.R. Knight. “He just wanted to pursue other career paths,” he told Us at the NAACP Awards luncheon.

Rhimes also claims that’s “not true,” so stay tuned.

Source

I’ll put it after the jump for those of you who don’t like to be spoiled! (more…)

Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight may be leaving Grey’s Anatomy — but there’s one star who could be coming back!

Usmagazine.com asked Kate Walsh if she’d return to the ABC drama at the Swarovski Pre-Oscar Celebration in Beverly Hills Wednesday.

“I might,” she hinted. “I’m not gonna’ say. Who knows what’s in the mind of [show creator] Shonda Rhimes.”

Walsh — who currently stars in Grey’s spin-off Private Practice, recently filmed a guest spot on her former show.

“I loved it,” she told Us. “Fantastic. I’m really thrilled, and I think it’s always fun to go back.”

The actress says she “in a great place” after her December split from Alex Young. The couple wed in September 2007.

“I’m great,” she said. “I’m about to wrap Private Practice and I’m having a great time. I’m thrilled with the numbers, and I’m in a great place.”

Source

Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight will soon take off their scrubs for good, their Grey’s Anatomy costar confirms. When Us Weekly asked James Pickens Jr. (a.k.a. Grey’s Dr. Richard Webber) on February 7 if Heigl is leaving the medical drama, he said, “Yes, she is.” And he continued, “Wherever Katherine goes, I wish her nothing but the best.”

Following Heigl, 30, out the door? Her outspoken BFF, Knight, 35. “He’s going too,” Pickens told Us at the NAACP Awards luncheon in Beverly Hills. “He just wanted to pursue other career paths.” “He complains to Katherine all the time,” a set source has said of Knight (with Heigl). “The energy on set will be much better when he’s gone.”

Sources close to the actors concur. “Katherine is ready to move on to the next chapter,” says a set source. And Knight is “not shy about telling people” he wants out of his contract, another insider told Us in December.

But now it seems they’re finally getting their wishes. A source tells Us Knight has had numerous talks with executive producer Shonda Rhimes, and that the “writers are scrambling to find a believable exit for George, one that would leave the door open for him to come back someday.” Both Heigl’s and Knight’s reps had no comment, and ABC and ABC Studios could not confirm the departures.

Source

Oscar winner Faye Dunaway is scrubbing in on Grey’s Anatomy, Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello has learned exclusively.

Sources confirm exclusively to EW.com that Dunaway has signed on for at least one episode of Grey’s to air in February. She’ll play a renowned doc at the hospital who crosses paths with the Chief, Cristina and Owen.

Source

Seattle Grace is about to lose another doctor.

Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight, who has played lovable intern George O’Malley since the show’s debut, has asked producers to write him off the hit medical drama.

While details of his exit have yet to be ironed out, a source close to the situation says that it seems likely Knight’s request will be granted and he will be released from his contract.

Recent reports that Knight has not been attending table-reads for upcoming episodes or that he had walked off the set and cleaned out his dressing room are inaccurate, a rep for Knight tells PEOPLE: “He has been there every day. He was at a table read yesterday. He hasn’t said goodbye to anyone.” The rep had no further comment on his possible exit.

Of speculation that Knight was still upset about former cast member Isaiah Washington’s alleged use of a homophobic slur about him — which prompted Knight to reveal he was gay, and which some felt series creator Shonda Rhimes took too long to rectify with Washington’s dismissal — a source familiar with Grey’s says it is false.

“The Isaiah stuff has no relevance at all,” says the source. “T.R. doesn’t even know why people would mention it. It was so long ago.”

So why does Knight, who remains a fan favorite, want to leave?

“Have you seen the show lately?” says the source. Knight has received little screen time this season, with the show focusing on controversial storylines like the romance between Katherine Heigl’s Izzie and her long-dead lover, Denny.

“It’s time to move on,” says the source. “It just feels like this is the right time to go.”

News of Knight’s possible exit comes after Grey’s made headlines last month when actress Brooke Smith, who played Dr. Erica Hahn, was abruptly let go from the show.

ABC had no comment.

Source