Where are the stars who left Grey's Anatomy now?

Grey's Anatomy fans are eagerly awaiting for return of the show's 18th season in February, with lead actress Ellen Pompeo continuing her role as Dr Meredith Grey.

MORE: Ellen Pompeo's future of Grey's Anatomy revealed after admitting she wants show to end

But what about the other stars who have left the series? Having been on screens for nearly two decades, the medical drama has seen plenty of cast members come and go over the years. From Patrick Dempsey to Katherine Heigl find out what the actors who have left the hit series are up to now...

WATCH: Patrick Dempsey makes his return to Grey's Anatomy

Sandra Oh

After ten seasons starring as fan favourite Cristina Yang, Sandra Oh decided it was time to move on and hung up her scrubs for a final time in 2014. Since then, the actress has become internationally known for her role in the Emmy award-winning spy thriller series Killing Eve. 

MORE: Sandra Oh reveals whether she would ever return to Grey's Anatomy

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Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl rose to fame playing intern Dr Izzie Stevens on the ABC series but is better known these days for her many movie roles, including 27 Dresses, Knocked Up and New Year's Eve. More recently, she has returned to TV and stars in the Netflix series Firefly Lane alongside former Scrubs star Sarah Chalke.

MORE: Katherine Heigl speaks out on Grey's Anatomy controversial exit

Patrick Dempsey

Fans were devastated when Dr Derek Shepherd, aka McDreamy, died in a car crash in the show's 11th season - and equally torn up when he reappeared in a dream sequence for season 17! Since leaving the show, Patrick has become a certified movie star, known for his roles in Enchanted, Made of Honour and Bridget Jones' Baby.

MORE: Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey return for Enchanted sequel: everything we know so far

He has also become an accomplished motor racer, competing in pro events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona and the FIA World Endurance Championship. 

T. R. Knight

T. R. Knight portrayed Dr George O'Malley in the first five seasons of the show before hanging up his scrubs - although he has returned to make guest appearances over the years. He's also been seen in The Good Wife, The Catch, and more recently, The Flight Attendant, where he plays the older brother of Kaley Cuoco's character

Kate Walsh

Kate Walsh was brought on to shake things up midway through the first season of Grey's Anatomy and played Derek's estranged wife, Dr Addison Montgomery. After several seasons and a stint on spin-off series Private Practice, she left to pursue other roles.

MORE: Grey's Anatomy: 5 shows to watch if you love the medical drama 

Viewers will have most recently seen her in Netflix hit Emily in Paris, where she plays Madeline Wheeler, Lily Collins' character's boss. Her other notable TV and film credits include 13 Reasons Why, The Umbrella Academy and Fargo. 

Sarah Drew

Like co-star Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Drew also reprised her role in the series recently. She made her return as April Kepner at the end of season 17 when it was revealed that her on-and-off partner Jackson Avery, played by Jesse Williams, was moving away from Seattle.

MORE: Grey's Anatomy star weighs in on potential spin-off - and fans will be thrilled!

Between her time on the show, Sarah has appeared on the likes of Supernatural and Miami Medical and has a recurring role on the teen series Cruel Summer.

Eric Dane

Following his exit in 2012, Dr Mark Sloan actor Eric Dane landed roles in the movies Marley and Me, Valentine's Day, X-Men: The Last Stand and Burlesque. He currently stars in the HBO teen series Euphoria, where he plays Nate's strict, demanding father with a secret life. 

Chyler Leigh 

Chyler Leigh made a name for herself playing Lexie Grey on the series, but these days is more well known for portraying Alex Danvers in the Arrowverse franchise, having appeared on Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. 

Jerrika Hinton

Jerrika Hinton joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy in 2012 as new intern Stephanie Edwards and made her exit five years later in 2017. She currently stars in  AppleTV+ thriller Servant and Amazon drama Hunters. 

Jesse Williams

Jackson Avery left towards the end of season 17 that he was relocating to Boston. According to IMDB, the actor Jesse Williams already has two roles in the pipeline - historical drama The Marked Man and thriller flick Team Joy.

Fans could also see Jesse step behind the camera moe in the future, following his directorial debut in the now-cancelled Rebel.

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