AceShowbiz - The story of Meredith Gray has yet to be over. "Grey's Anatomy" has been renewed for a 19th season, ABC announced the decision on Monday, January 10. Ellen Pompeo reportedly has also closed the deal to reprise her role as Meredith in the upcoming season of the long-running medical drama.

Not only Ellen, executive producer and showrunner Krista Vernoff will also return for the new season. According to a press release, the new season will explore the ever-expanding world of modern medicine through the eyes of beloved returning and new characters.

" 'Grey's Anatomy' has a global impact that can't be overstated," Krista said in a statement. " 'Grey' touches, and sometimes changes, hearts and minds worldwide through the depth of connection people feel with these characters. I'm excited to work with our extraordinary writers to dream up where we go from here, and I'm always grateful to our partners at Disney and ABC for letting us tell bold stories with real impact."

As for creator Shonda Rhimes, she shared, "I couldn't be more excited that we get to keep telling the stories of Meredith, Bailey, Richard and all of the other doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial for another season."

The TV personality added, "This is a true testament to Krista Vernoff, the cast, the crew and all the writers who keep the audience on the edge of their seat week after week. And it would not be possible without the generations of incredible fans who have supported 'Grey's Anatomy' for so many years."

Prior to this, Ellen sent fans into frenzy as she teased the end of the beloved show. In September 2021, the actress told Entertainment Tonight that she's been "trying to get away for years." She shared at the time, "It's not because I haven't been trying. I have strong relationships at the network [ABC] and they have been very, very good to me, and have incentivized me to stay."

The actress, who serves as a producer on the show, also told Variety in 2020, "I don't take the decision lightly. We employ a lot of people, and we have a huge platform. And I'm very grateful for it."

Reflecting on the hit show, she revealed in a 2019 interview with PEOPLE, "Obviously I never anticipated the show still being the No. 1 show on the network." She went on to say, "How do you walk away from a hit? The fans will dictate when the show ends. As much as we think we're in control, we're not. It's the fans' show at this point. They control how long the show goes. We'll see. I kind of just take it year by year and see."

She continued, "So much has happened here. I've had three children. I've gotten married. It's a huge chunk of my life. I've learned so much. It's just been an amazing evolution."