Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

Why did Patrick Dempsey leave Grey’s Anatomy?

Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Patrick Dempsey left Grey’s Anatomy in 2015 after appearing as a series regular for the first 11 seasons. His character, Derek Shepherd, was killed off in the series that year. Dempsey later returned in season 17, in 2020–21, appearing as Derek in visions experienced by Meredith Grey while she was ill with COVID-19.