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'GREY'S ANATOMY' STAR PATRICK ON HIS HEART-THROB ROLE

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6 SEPTEMBER 2006

Patrick Dempsey was looking characteristically dashing when he turned out to promote the DVD set of his show's second season. The chisel-jawed actor, who has been setting hearts aflutter with his role as Grey's Anatomy hunk Dr Derek Shepherd, says he's rather more fallible than his onscreen persona, however.

"Derek is a neurosurgeon," explained the 40-year-old. "He's McDreamy. I don't think he's a real kind of guy, but that's OK." Things can get a little tricky for the performer when people expect him to share his character's expertise, though. On a recent plane flight he was asked to help when another passenger suddenly became ill.

"There was a seizure, but I didn't get involved," he revealed. "People looked at me and it was like, 'Are you going to respond to this?'. I'm like, 'Certainly not, I'm not a surgeon'. People just expect I know how to do a craniotomy."

Tuesday's launch party was, by comparison, a mercifully tranquil affair. Patrick's co-stars Isaiah Washington, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens were all in attendance for the bash, along with Ellen Pompeo, who plays Dr Meredith, and Canadian actress Sandra Oh, who fans will recognise as Dr Cristina.