by Thinus Ferreira
The veteran American drama series Grey's Anatomy seen on M-Net (DStv 101) in South Africa has been renewed for a 19th season with star Ellen Pompeo and showrunner Krista Vernoff who have both signed a contract extension with ABC Signature studio that is a part of Disney Television Studios.
As part of her new contract Ellen Pompeo is upped from co-executive producer to executive producer of Grey's Anatomy while Krista Vernoff as executive producer will remain showrunner who is also the executive producer and showrunner of the spinoff series Station 19.
ABC and Grey's Anatomy is also not describing season 19 as the "final season" or "last season", meaning that Grey's Anatomy will definitely still be renewed for a landmark 20th season as well.
"Grey’s Anatomy is a true phenomenon, beloved by audiences around the world. Whether they catch it live on ABC, or stream it on Hulu or globally on Disney+ or Star+, it's clear that fans can't get enough of Shonda Rhimes' brilliant creation," says Dana Walden, chairman of entertainment at Walt Disney Television.
"We have enormous faith in Shonda, Krista Vernoff, Ellen Pompeo and the entire creative team to unlock new, untold stories that will continue to focus on modern medicine, tackle the issues that shape the world around us, and resonate deeply with loyal fans for years to come."
Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes says "I couldn't be more excited that we get to keep telling the stories of Meredith, Bailey, Richard and all of the other doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial for another season".
"This is a true testament to Krista, the cast, the crew and all the writers who keep the audience on the edge of their seat week after week. And it would not be possible without the generations of incredible fans who have supported Grey’s Anatomy for so many years."
Krista Vernoff in the statement says "Grey’s Anatomy has a global impact that can't be overstated. Grey’s touches, and sometimes changes, hearts and minds worldwide through the depth of connection people feel with these characters".
"I'm excited to work with our extraordinary writers to dream up where we go from here, and I'm always grateful to our partners at Disney and ABC for letting us tell bold stories with real impact."
