Katherine Heigl has really, really, really left 'Grey's Anatomy'

Entertainment Weekly's new cover story is about Katherine Heigl coming clean that she left the TV show that made her a star in January and won't return for a send-off.

Rumors about Heigl leaving "Grey's Anatomy" began right about the time "Roots" was on the air, but this time ABC confirms Heigl is gone.

In an excerpt of the article released today,  Heigl says, "I am done. We just finalized our agreement. Everyone had been working really hard to find an amicable and gracious way of letting go and moving on. It’s sad but it’s what I wanted.”

Heigl, who has been on maternity leave, explained that adopting a daughter has changed her priorities and she no longer wants to work full time. She was scheduled to appear in the season's last five episodes. But ABC Studios allowed her to leave without fulfilling that part of her contract.

That means the Jan. 21 episode was Izzie Stevens' last hurrah.

“I know I’m disappointing the fans,” she said to EW. “I just had to make a choice. I hope I made the right one.”

Hmm. Is she really? Do you feel disappointed?

— Maria Elena Fernandez (follow me on Twitter @writerchica)

Photo: Entertainment Weekly cover. Credit: Entertainment Weekly

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Comments

[Marigold]

I think fans would agree her leaving is looooog overdue!
I won't miss her on the show at all.
Buh-bye Katherine Heigel -- Great couple of seasons before you decided you didn't care!

[brian stutchman]

THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL JOB "IZZY"!!! BRAVO!!!

[DRE DAWG]

Grey's still has fans??? BTW, the cover of the magazine is stupid. Really? She's "sinned" having left the show? Lame.

[Kev Kotight]

Roots??? was that supposed to be funny? LAME..... and maternity leave for adopting a baby, that's some B.S.

[brendagail]

She should have left two years ago. Is anyone watching anymore after her kurfluffle with JK?

[Peter White]

Her rants and raves are a huge reason why the ratings dropped - especially from a ethnic point of view.

Obviously ABC isn't the only network guilty of that level of pandering to one segment, but this show ratcheted up to the serverly 'obvious' level.

As for me, too much of her, too long to remove her, glad she's gone but i left and will not return.

Count this show with my 'banned' list: currently the only other show is American Idol w/out Paula - oh how I miss that goofball. The few seconds of Ellen I've seen as well as the new wannabe philosophical / I can be mean too Kara is pathetic - bleh !!!

[Lauren]

I think in the long run it'll disappoint future fans. Years from now when people are watching these episodes I think they're going to want a finalized ending to her story line. It's going to seem weird and disjointed. They won't know what happened until someone else explains the behind the scenes to them.

I think people are just relieved that it's over, mostly. It was a lot of back and forth, she's back, she's not, she's almost back, she's kinda back, she's gone, well' yeah, she's really gone.

So now we know where we stand going forward but looking back, I think it's going to look a little strange. Kinda like when the Fresh Prince changed moms.

[hardrock62]

I'm OK with maternity leave when adopting, my concern is there are already way to many morons who are parents in this world, so why add another . . .?

[Richard Galindo]

The show will be fine without her.

[Matt kelly]

Katherine-congratulations! A very brave decision to forgo more fame and money and concentrate on raising a healthy, well-adjusted being. Success comes in many forms - sounds like you've realized where you wish yours to come from!

[sonny]

She was great until the dumb Denny ghost storyline. And her big mouth was disresectful to the show. On a bigger scale, the reality is that with the troublemakers Heigl and T.R. Knight off the cast, BRING BACK DR. PRESTON BURKE (Isiah Washington). Certainly he should be forgiven and there's no better way to tune-up the show (pit Burke against Chief Shepherd or Burke against Dr. Hunt) and get back at those rabble rouses Heigl and Knight. Bring back Burke now!!! Quit cheating Grey's fans with frail post-Burke storylines.

[Charles B.]

At long last we can move on to more interesting things - on Grey's and in the world, now that the ever distracting "will-she-stay-or-will-she-go" faux drama is over and done with. I find it a little yellow that she is now talking about "motherhood shifting her priorities" as this - "I wanna leave, I wanna stay" bull has been going on since, well, the moment she tried on those 27 dresses. Personally, I think she should have gotten on that elevator WITH George. Nothing she's done past that scene has been worth watching, really.

[Lili]

What a shame they didn't just let Izzie die at the end of last season. Her recovery from stage-4 lymphoma that had metastasized to the brain and liver was hilariously unbelievable, and for what? So she could traipse in and out and then disappear without any resolution? They should have kept George and let Izzie go to the Great Beyond.

[Sarah]

They should've canned Heigl a couple years ago for her unprofessional behavior.

Anyway, Grey's has developed an odd and unsavory habit of dropping characters. At least they made some attempt to explain the departure of hers.

I sincerely doubt the drop in ratings has anything to do with her. At least the quality of this season's writing has been inconsistent, rather than consistently bad.

[taylor]

you all are mean. i loved her shes a really good actress & greys anatomy is not better without her it actually got more boring after she left, she was a big part of the show so idk what you think your talking about. & she does care ? she just wnts to be a mom? whats wrong with that?

[ella]

I think losing two major characters in grey's anatomy had a big impact on the show's ratings. Becuase now i think mereidith's so called family is now gone(almosst gone)

yes im glad she was gone. but they should bring her back as guest...