Speculation surrounding the potential return of one of Grey's Anatomy's former main cast members in season 20 has reportedly been debunked. Grey's Anatomy has aired on ABC since 2005. The hospital drama is one of the longest-running cable shows, but it has gone through a number of big shifts in recent seasons. Grey's Anatomy follows the personal and professional lives of surgical interns and their supervisors, and stars Ellen Pompeo, James Pickens Jr., and Chandra Wilson. The series was created by Shonda Rhimes, who has served as executive producer on the series for all 19 seasons.
A new report from TVLine has debunked recent speculation that Justin Chambers will return to Grey's Anatomy as Alex Karev in the upcoming season 20.
Chambers was one of multiple Grey's Anatomy lead actors who departed the series in recent years. The report comes just one day after Chambers posted an image on Instagram of a cup of coffee in a Grey's Anatomy-themed carrying sleeve. His post, with the caption, "A fresh cup of Greys," fueled rampant fan hopes and speculation that his Karev character would finally make a return to the show. The TVLine report states that a source close to the series insists Karev will not return to the show anytime soon. "There’s no truth to the rumor," the source says.
Karev's Grey's Anatomy Exit Explained
Chambers' exit from Grey's Anatomy was a confusing incident for many. Chambers played Karev on the series for 16 seasons before his sudden departure, and Karev's ending was met with heavy criticism from much of the Grey's Anatomy audience. His relocation to Kansas to be with Izzie and their children was a huge shock, and it had lasting ramifications on Grey Sloan Memorial and its inhabitants. While Karev was one of many longtime actors on Grey's Anatomy to depart relatively suddenly, the manner in which his exit was handled has been up for debate in the years since.
The character was in an improving marriage with Jo, and his relationships with his coworkers were also getting better, particularly with Meredith after he helped her keep her medical license during the medical commission hearing. Though it was an admirable decision for Karev to go and care for his children, the other aspects of the decision fell flat, especially with him totally disconnecting from the characters and future events of Grey's Anatomy after being there the entire time. Upon his exit, Chambers released a statement with glowing praise for the show, the executives, and the entire cast, but he also noted that he wanted to move on with his life and career.
Could Karev Ever Return To Grey's Anatomy?
Right now, it still seems very unlikely that the fan-favorite Karev character will make a return to Grey's Anatomy. There are several reasons for that, but the first is that the speculation caused by his Instagram post was immediately shut down. It could be subterfuge, but given Chambers' apparent step back from acting in recent years, it feels likely that he isn't interested in reprising the role again. That could obviously change, but it also doesn't help that many original cast members are also gone entirely or, in Pompeo's case, taking a step back from their roles. Unfortunately for many longtime viewers of the series, Grey's Anatomy will likely need to continue focusing on new characters and stories.
Source: TVLine