Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo says 'the show must go on' but she'll 'be back to visit'

Ever since the news broke that Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo would only appear in eight episodes of the long-running medical drama's 19th season, fans have wondered what that could mean for the show's future. And now, Pompeo has taken to Instagram for what feels like a type of goodbye.

In the post, Pompeo writes: "I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have all shown me, Meredith GREY and the show for 19 seasons! Through it all….none of it …would have been possible without the best fans in the world. You all are RIDERS and you all have made the ride so fun and ICONIC!! I love you madly and appreciate you right back. This isn't your first time on the rollercoaster… you know the show must go on and I'll definitely be back to visit."

Story-wise, Meredith has spent much of season 19 struggling with ways to help her daughter Zola (Aniela Gumbs), who's been having panic attacks. So when Zola found a school for gifted children that she liked in Boston, Meredith decided to take Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) up on a job offer to join him in Boston and help cure Alzheimers, a disease that has a very personal impact for Meredith. (Merediths' mother suffered from Alzheimers in the drama's early seasons.)

As the latest Grey's promo revealed, Meredith will be celebrating her last day at Grey Sloan when the show returns from hiatus on Feb. 23. And although Pompeo will stay on board as an executive producer for the rest of the season — she'll also continue to provide the series' voiceover — it's unclear what this could mean for the future. Should the show get renewed for season 20, would Pompeo return as a series regular? Or does her Instagram post point to the fact that she might only ever return to the series as a guest star? Either way, Meredith's big move marks the end of an era for the series.

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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