Despite the fact that Katherine Heigl has been off of 'Grey's Anatomy' for more than a few years now, it seems as though the long-running medical drama is never far from her.
An upcoming book, 'How To Save A Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy', has shown a light on some of the show's exits, most recently Patrick Dempsey AKA McDreamy. In an excerpt published by THR and picked up by us a few days ago, it was revealed that Dempsey was having a rough go of it on set and seemed only too delighted to get off the show.
In another excerpt of the same book published in the Daily Telegraph, Katherine Heigl had her say on her exit from 'Grey's Anatomy'. The reason for Heigl's exit boiled down to one simple thing - having a family and not wanting to work full-time anymore. "I went on family leave… and just got to be a mom, and it changed my whole perspective… that was really the turning point," Heigl told author Lynette Rice. "So before I was due back, I spoke again to Shonda (Rimes, the showrunner of 'Grey's Anatomy) about wanting to leave. Then I waited at home until I was given the formal okay that I was off the show."
Heigl also pointed out that the rumours of her refusing to return to the show were completely untrue, adding that she was disappointed about being labelled "ungrateful" when she left the show.
"So much about living life, to me, is about humility and gratitude. And I've tried very hard to have those qualities and be that person, and I'm just so disappointed in myself that I allowed it to slip. Of course, I'm grateful. How can I not be?
Heigl admitted that while she wanted to keep acting in the show and give the time she wanted to be a new parent, it just didn't work out that way. "There wasn't a great way to compromise the work schedule that didn't negatively affect the crew or the cast. It wasn't feeling fair to them or the show to ask them to bend around my needs," Heigl explained.
With the eighteenth - that's right, EIGHTEENTH - season set to kick off next week in the US, there might yet be a chance for Heigl to return to the show - what with Kate Walsh returning as Dr. Addison Montgomery for the new season.
