[Spoiler] becomes the third series regular to exit the ABC medical drama in its 17th season.
ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy is saying farewell to its third series regular this season.
Greg Germann, the Ally McBeal grad who has played Dr. Thomas Koracick for four seasons, will exit the Shonda Rhimes–created medical drama during its May 20 episode.
The actor joined Grey’s as a recurring character in its 14th season before he was upped to series regular ahead of its 16th season.
“Greg Germann is a comic genius and we are so lucky that he brought his talents to our show these last few years. We will miss Greg terribly in the day to day — but we plan to see Tom Koracick again!” showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement Thursday.
Germann becomes the third series regular to exit the show in its current 17th season. Both he and longtime star Jesse Williams are being written out of the series during Thursday’s episode, which is titled “Tradition.” Williams joined Grey’s as a recurring player in season six before he was promoted to series regular a year later.
The pair join Giacomo Gianniotti, whose character, Andrew DeLuca, was shockingly written out and killed off in March. DeLuca was only the fifth series regular in Grey’s history to have their storyline end in a fatality, and the first since Patrick Dempsey’s shocking exit nearly six years ago.
Season 17 has explored the COVID-19 pandemic. Koracick spent the early part of the season battling COVID and has since become more of a leader at the hospital where he has been a key mentor for characters including Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and a love interest for the beleaguered Teddy (Kim Raver), who picked Owen (Kevin McKidd) over Tom.
“To have worked with all the incredibly talented people involved with Grey’s over the past few years has been such a privilege. A big thank you to the fans as it has truly been a shared experience!” said Germann, who can be seen on stage in the Soho Theatre’s Herding Cats.
Williams and Germann join a roster of Grey’s series regulars who have walked away from the drama, including original stars Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight, Isaiah Washington, Jerrika Hinton, Sara Ramirez, Sandra Oh, Eric Dane and Chyler Leigh. This season, to help offset the sadness of the pandemic storylines, Grey’s also brought back Dempsey, Knight, Dane and Leigh as part of a dreamlike-beach storyline that was part of Meredith’s (Ellen Pompeo) fight for her life against COVID-19.
Grey’s Anatomy was renewed for its 18th season on ABC after original stars Pompeo, Chandra Wilson (Bailey) and James Pickens Jr. (Richard) inked rich new deals with Disney.
Click here for a gallery of Grey’s Anatomy’s biggest departures.