Grey’s Anatomy Spoilers: ABC Show Renewed For Season 18, 3 Original Cast Extend Contract

ABC has just confirmed “Grey’s Anatomy” has been renewed for season 18. The show’s three original cast members, leading lady Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey, and James Pickens Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber, extend their contracts for the next season. Although, Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is doctors-short with two of its longtime cast members Giacomo Gianniotti and Jesse Williams leaving the show.

The medical drama grows viewers up to 8.3 million in its current 17th season and remains to be ABC’s No.1 show and ranks as first in television entertainment series among adults in 18-49. It has recorded an increase of 4% with its current rating of 6.18 over its prior season from its average of 15 million total viewers in its delayed viewing across linear and digital platforms.

Grey’s Anatomy – Mirroring The Reality

Aside from Grey’s, ABC has also renewed one of its most-watched scripted shows “Station 19” for its fifth season. It’s a “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff, also with Krista Vernoff as its executive producer and showrunner.

The two shows have had crossovers in the current season, showing the struggles of frontline workers in battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and tackling racial discrimination and police brutality.

Craig Erwich, president, Hulu Originals & ABC Entertainment, has commended the shows for doing “an incredible job of honoring real-life heroes” through its biggest medical stories of the time.

“Krista and her team of writers have continued to deliver the compelling and compassionate storytelling that is a hallmark of these shows, and created some of the year’s most-talked-about moments in television,” Craig added.

“We’re so grateful to our talented casts and crews for their extraordinary work that connects with viewers everywhere, and we look forward to sharing even more defining moments with our fans next season.”

Grey’s Anatomy – The Lead Continues To Lead

In a previous interview with E! News this year, Shonda revealed that Grey’s will continue to exist as long as Ellen wants it to: “Ellen and I have a pact that I’m going to do the show as long as she’s going to do the show. So the show will exist as long as both of us want to do it. If she wants to stop, we’re stopping.”

Vernoff and Pompeo’s talks with ABC’s parent company, Disney TV Studios, in March had shaken things in place for their complex effort of bringing back Grey’s for Season 18. After lengthy negotiations, they have secured three of its original cast members, inking new deals. Pompeo, Wilson, Pickens Jr., and Jesse Williams’ contracts are only up to the end of season 17. However, Williams opted to depart the series after appearing for 12 seasons.

Pompeo had previously teased that it could be the end of the show in her interview with Variety for its Power of Women cover story: “I mean, this is the last year of my contract right now. I don’t know that this is the last year? But it could very well be.”

Yet, Pompeo’s latest signed contract lands her to remain as the highest-paid actress on television.

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