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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

A "Grey's Anatomy" co-star says Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight are leaving the show

In an interview with US Weekly on Feb. 7, Grey's Anatomy actor James Pickens Jr. (who plays Dr. Richard Webber) was asked if co-star Katherine Heigl would be leaving the show, he said, "Yes, she is... Wherever Katherine goes, I wish her nothing but the best." When asked the same question about their co-star T.R. Knight, Pickens Jr. told the magazine, "He's going too...He just wanted to pursue other career paths."

However, Heigl's and Knight's reps have made no comment on the story, and neither ABC or ABC Studios have confirmed that the actors were leaving the show.

T.R. Knight and Katherine Heigl

US also reports that co-star Eric Dane appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today and was asked about the actors' departure, but had little to say. He told host Ellen DeGeneres, "I don't really comment. I worked with them this morning, and they were both very present... I know you want to know, and I get it, but until the boss says this is going down, it’s not happening."

In light of everything else that's been happening on Grey's Anatomy, specifically, the unceremonious departure of Dr. Hahn and the recent out-of-left-field introduction of the Calzona romance, does the news of Heigl and Knight's departure have any impact on your plans to continue watching the show?

Or did Grey's Anatomy jump the gurney for your a long time ago?

emily's picture

if i were them id leave to.

if i were them id leave to. i mean t.r.'s character doesnt even have a story line anymore. and katherines is batshit crazy with all the seeing the dead guy thing and then convinced shes dieing. i certainly seen it coming. however i will continue to watch the crazy train for the sake of the hotness of jessica capshaw.
pecola's picture

Eh.

Since I'm not watching the show--and have never really liked Katherine Heigl--this news doesn't impact me one way or another, but two things come to mind: 

1. If it wasn't true, wouldn't someone be issuing a denial? How does feeding into the lore about the craziness on the Grey's Anatomy set help anyone?

2. And, related to that, ABC's delayed announcing it's pickups for next fall--could this be part of the reason? 

--- 

"The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use — of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public." -- Robert F. Kennedy

A Muse's picture

I hope it gets taken off

I hope it gets taken off the air soon to make room for something people care to watch that gets treated with respect and not tossed and turned like a trashbag before you dump it unceremonously into the garbage.

ever since the Washington incident on Greys this show just went downhill and never stopped cos they haven't been told how to properly brake....

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SubtextRules's picture

Seriously...

I'm getting sick and tired of people talking about this. I wish they'd either leave or shut the hell up because no one besides the breeders care. T.R. can do better and Katherine is just annoying. 

 

"You either want them or you don't! Taking longer to decided is not going to make a difference!"

Hikki06's picture

Excuse me?

Excuse me? "Breeders"? I take it that you don't like people who are straight using derogatory language towards gay people- but a gay person using language that's derogatory towards straight people isn't any better.
paige's picture

I've got to agree with you.

I've got to agree with you. It kind of made me cringe a little when I read it. Sorry, Amy Jo.
SubtextRules's picture

Lordy...

It was not meant to be insulting. I know quite a few straight people, as well as gay people, who use the term. I apologize if you were offended by it.

"You either want them or you don't! Taking longer to decided is not going to make a difference!"

Thane McAllister's picture

Lordy! [*snicker]

lol. "...breeders..."

***No, you came out wrong...shut it DOWN!***

Bridget's picture

i checked out long ago..

With the dead Denny/Izzy relationship, Callie/Hanh disaster, and all the other horrible story lines/character developments, I can't stand Grey's anymore.  Izzy was one of my favorite characters, along with Callie and Christina, but all of their story lines suck and they're not the strong and intense women that they used to be. 

Gina's picture

Still hoping

I still watch the show regularly. It's like the train wreck that you can't turn away from. George has no storyline, and Izzy, well, her storyline is just creepy. Hopefully when they leave it will present the opportunity for fresh, new characters who will liven up the show again. I will probably keep watching though. I habor hope that the writing will get better and the storylines will improve.
mitch's picture

Train Wreck

The first thought I had after reading this was something like "Jumping off the train wreck before it crashes" (although some would argue that it already has).

I don't watch it anymore but I really use to like it and hope that it improves and lures me back.

Anonymous's picture

if they are leaving i think

if they are leaving i think its a wise move.

this show sucks bad already. which is sad, cuz it used to be SO GOOD!

and then i dont know what happened. It sucks too cuz George and Izzie were my favorite characters and the writers have done NOTHING for them. Especially George! i would be like "how come George is in the shadows now? why does he have very little screen time?" i loved George. Same thing with Izzie, i would be like "they're totally ruining Izzie with this Ghost shit."

If they do leave, good for them!

i am dot's picture

at this point...

i really don't even know why i continue to watch the show...

oh wait... callie... that's right. if they ever give her a decent story line again.

 

but besides that, i'm pretty much done with grey's. katherine and tr can leave.... i like them, but their characters are annoying and boring, respectively, these days.

i'm a private practice girl now! hello, addison montgomery!

 

Pingu88's picture

  Grey's anatomy has

 

Grey's anatomy has become just like the L word, you're watching it praying that somehow it'll redeem itself... and for Grey's hopefully through Callie and Arizona. Things are just so bad for any lesbian representation anywhere at the moment... anyone who's seen the recent promos for AMC and whats in store for Bianca and Reese will know what I'm talking about

Katherine is a good actress and she has been wasted on such a pointless/creepy storyline and its a shame that George hasn't had more storylines because he is such an adorable character... remember the day with Izzy and George were together? me neither, because it was a storyline that was just as pointless as half of the crap they're coming out with now

and god help me if Derek and Meredith don't get married this season because them two breaking up and making up all the time is getting so old!

 

Jay's picture

!

Grey's Anatomy ate my dignity and then the Shark ate us both.
Zillah's picture

gay people breed too...

It's an outdated, ignorant term and needs to be tossed.

(No offence meant to the user)

 

*That was supposed to be a reply to an above conversation, I don't know what happened as I did click on reply...?

Mel.'s picture

I loved season 1, I watched

I loved season 1, I watched season 2 --- now I hardly have any interest in finding out whats happening to the characters. RIP!

 

miasil's picture

stopped watching

I stopped watching the episode before Hahn left.
I didn't even see her "leave" the show.
I also wrote to ABC and told them how dumb they were for kicking Hahn off the show.
It's not surprising to me that T.R. and Katherine are leaving. I would have left, too.

Kimmaayy..!'s picture

Whatev..

I love the show. I watch it every Thursday night, and if I'm not home, I tivo it. I loved it with Dr. Haun, but I have to say, I love it without her. She was kind of a bitch. I'm glad Callie didn't go straight into the arms of a man, though. (haha, straight) Anyways, I love Katherine and T.R., but I am sure the show will still interest me without them. Although, not seeing Heigl half naked with that beautiful smile once a week might be a little sad...

I wish them the best!

 

http://kiiimmmaaayyy.blogspot.com/ CHECK IT!

Hopeless_Savage's picture

I still watch it. but i

I still watch it. but i think Shona has let the popularity of the show go to her head, and now she's run out of ideas, she's trying desperately to keep it going, when in fact she's running it into the ground.

TR and Katherine's characters were ruined the second they had that drunken night. They have never been the same since. I don't blame them for leaving at all. I love those two, it makes me smile to know that they're best friends in real life. I wish them both all the best.

Aya's picture

Katherine Heigl wasn't

Katherine Heigl wasn't afraid to talk about how mad she was with the whole Isiah Washington incident.  Maybe firing Brooke Smith and then the ghost storyline was the last straw.  Hopefully she won't keep quiet and let the show have it.
siobhan's picture

Anwers?

It looks like they're leaving, and who can blame them?! It's easy enough to guess that they're sick of their storylines, but also probably pretty accurate to say that they're sick of the behind-the-scenes events.

Remember that it came out that TR may have walked off set on hearing about Brooke Smith's firing. Whether that's true or not, it's easy to believe that someone who had to go through the whole Isiah Washington incident and Katherine, who was brave enough to speak out about it very frankly, would both be muchos pissed at Smith's departure.

I wonder if they will be able to speak out about everything after they've left. We may get some much needed answers, from two people who have been refreshingly frank in the past.

imthey's picture

Well...

While I still watch the show, it has long stopped being part of my must see TV lineup, so it usually ends up on my DVR and I'll watch it on a night when nothing else is on or when I'm finally ready to watch.

I was annoyed when Kate Walsh left the show, then the whole Callie/Hahn debacle and while I like Katherine and TR their characters/storylines have been a waste of air-time.  I loved the pairing of Izzy and Denny and after they killed off Denny I grudgingly learned to deal with that... so when they "brought him back" this season, I was just further annoyed by how far the show had spiraled into "jump the shark" territory.

I certainly wish all the actors well in whatever their futures hold, but I think that Katherine and TR, if they are leaving, are certainly picking a good time to do so... after all how much worse can the show get?

I'll continue to keep an eye on the Callie/Arizona romance (?) but I feel that I will continue to be very thankful for the fast forward button on my remote control.

 

"I have a simple philosophy. Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. And scratch where it itches." -Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Joyous's picture

To Tell The Truth...

I stopped watchin a long time ago, before Callica. I got my Grey's info from here. I really don't care anymore. I hope to see Katherine and TR in other things
Joyous's picture

Hmm..

What else has TR been in before?

GreenBean2's picture

This is why ...

ER is the better doctor drama show to me. Despite the fact that I haven't really enjoy a whole season thoroughly since around Season 8/9, ER doesn't go out of it's wa to fook it's loyal viewers over. And it never seemed to make a mockery of certain issues and characters like Greys did (yes I'm mainly talking about Callie/Erica)

I'll be sad when ER finally ends. I don't care about Greys. But at least give some attention and worthy storylines to Callie and Arizona...silly name, lovely girl.

Jcalico's picture

I agree.. hello Addison...

I have to agree with  IamDot above... I still watch Greys but I am PRP girl now. I think the show has gone down hill in the past couple seasons, Losing Kate Walsh didn't help. I am not surprised to see Katherine and TR leaving, get out while you can.... Oh and just a quick Hello to all, I am new to this site... so far it is great!!
Sarah's picture

I stopped watching around

I stopped watching around the time Kate Walsh left...
Please Replace's picture

I wouldnt blame TR for leaving

I wouldnt blame TR for leaving.

Hes had pretty much no storyline this season.