‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Shocker! Kim Raver & Kevin McKidd to Exit

It’s almost the end of an era for two of Grey’s Anatomy‘s long-timers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kim Raver and Kevin McKidd will be exiting the long-lived medical drama after the finale of Season 22, which airs on Thursday, May 7, and is directed by McKidd, who happens to be the most prolific director on Grey’s with 48 episodes.

In a statement, McKidd said of the news, “Grey’s Anatomy has been a huge chapter of my life, creatively and personally, and I’m deeply grateful for everything the show has given me over the years. As that chapter comes to a close, I’m looking forward to what’s ahead — building new work, telling new stories, and taking everything I’ve learned into the next phase of my career.”

He added, “Playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show have both shaped me enormously, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of people throughout that time. I’m particularly thankful to Shonda Rhimes for creating Owen, and for the encouragement she gave me as I stepped into directing.”

Meanwhile, Raver had a statement of her own, too, saying, “Playing Dr. Teddy Altman will always hold a dear and special place in my heart. Sixteen years ago, I had the incredible privilege of stepping into this role thanks to the vision of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. Since that day, it has been a true gift to bring the iconic words of Shonda and our brilliant team of writers to life. I am especially grateful to our current showrunner, Meg Marinis, for her leadership and heart, and I want to honor the immense talent of the showrunners who came before her, including Krista Vernoff whose guidance helped shape Teddy’s journey through the years.”

Her statement continued, “I feel so fortunate to have worked under the brilliance of Debbie Allen, who not only mentored me but welcomed me into the director’s chair. To my amazingly talented castmates and our formidable, tireless crew: playing in this arena with you has been a joy, and I will carry this company in my heart always. To the fans — your unwavering devotion and support are the reason this show remains such a force. Thank you for making this set my place of magic and my home.”

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Meanwhile, Rhimes issued her own statement, calling the news “bittersweet” and promising that their characters will have “the happy ending their story deserves.”

That aligns with the most recent developments for Teddy and Owen, who reunited after signing their divorce papers after a rocky breakup earlier in the season. In the most recent episodes, they have been romantically re-entangled. The look-ahead to Thursday’s (March 26) episode indicated that Owen might be considering a job at a rural hospital they’re both out to help with.

We’ll have to wait and see how things transpire for Teddy and Owen as the final episodes of Season 22 come to air.

McKidd first joined Grey’s Anatomy in 2011 and became a love interest to Sandra Oh’s Cristina Yang. After their divorce and her departure, he then married Caterina Scorsone’s Amelia Shepherd, but his long friendship with and covert romantic feelings for Teddy were at issue in both marriages. Things got complicated when he engaged in a fling with Floriana Lima’s Nora, a patient of Teddy’s and a childhood friend of his, during a period of openness in their marriage. Meanwhile, Teddy also had other romantic interests, including a marriage to Scott Foley’s ill-fated Henry, a short-lived romance with Greg Germann’s Tom Koracick, and a fling with Sophia Bush’s Cass Beckman. The two called it quits at the end of Season 21 and filed for divorce in Season 22 but reconciled. And it sounds like things are going to stay that way, based on Rhimes’ statement.

Grey’s Anatomy, Thursdays, 10/9c, ABC