What’s been speculated since Katherine Heigl’s rejection of a potential Emmy last season has finally been confirmed by cast mate James Pickens Jr.: Heigl and T.R. Knight are leaving “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Pickens told Us Weekly he wishes Heigl “nothing but the best” and said Knight wants to pursue other “career paths,” the magazine reported online Tuesday.
Knight has allegedly been itching to leave the show since the Isaiah Washington controversy in late 2006. Washington, who referred to Knight using derogatory gay slang, was subsequently kicked off the show, but sources close to the show say Knight was not pleased with the way the situation was handled.
Heigl refused an Emmy nomination for best supporting actress for her performance in the fourth season of “Grey’s Anatomy” because she said she felt the content of the show was not worthy of an award.
Creator Shonda Rhimes refused to release Heigl from her contract last year and has instead led Heigl’s character Izzie Stevens through a bizarre storyline which features the ghost of her second season love interest, Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Rhimes has insisted the cause of Izzie’s visions will not result in her death, but the facts point otherwise.
This is not the first time Heigl has backed out of a television show contract early. She did the same with TV show “Roswell,” which ran from 1999 to 2002.
Knight’s screen time during the currently airing season five has been extremely limited and he has not had a serious plot line since its debut.
It should also be mentioned that Heigl and Knight are best friends in real life.
Publicists for Knight and for series creator Shonda Rhimes declined comment. Requests for comment from Heigl’s publicist and ABC were not immediately returned.
The future looks uncertain for “Grey’s Anatomy.” I’m thinking a reboot of the show, with Meredith and Derek being lovingly removed from the show following a big sappy wedding sequence and little Grey (Chyler Leigh) taking the spotlight. Either way, what made the show so great when it debuted back in 2005 has irrevocably been lost and, while the show could continue to be great, it will lose an important sparkle that gave the show its personality.
Blast readers, what do you think about the future of “Grey’s”? Are you glad or pissed Heigl or Knight are leaving? Do you think they have just cause? Share your thoughts below!
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