Ellen Pompeo Returns to 'Grey's Anatomy'

Deadline.com reports that GREY'S ANATOMY will continue to chronicle Meredith Grey's journey as star Ellen Pompeo has closed a new deal to return to the medical drama.

With Pompeo as the sole lead following the exit of Patrick Dempsey, Shonda Rhimes' GREY'S ANATOMY is coming off one of its strongest seasons creatively and ratings-wise. In its recently concluded 12th season, GREY'S ANATOMY was ABC's highest-rated show in key demographics and ranked among television's top five dramas.

Pompeo has shared in a SAG Drama Ensemble Award and has landed a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Meredith. She is one of the highest-paid actresses on TV, reportedly earning well north of $300,000 an episode.

Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series that premiered on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) as a mid-season replacement on March 27, 2005. The series focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they gradually evolve into seasoned doctors, while trying to maintain personal lives and relationships. The title is a play on Gray's Anatomy, a human anatomy textbook by Henry Gray. The show's premise originated with Shonda Rhimes, who serves as an executive producer.