By the time Entertainment Weekly broke the news that Katherine Heigl has confirmed her departure from Grey’s Anatomy, most Grey’s fans are more relieved than surprised. After all, the rumor mill started grinding way back in season 5, when Dead!Denny started appearing and the cancer/tumor rumors started circulating. By then, we realized Izzie as we know her was gone.
Ancient article worth checking at this point: Izzie Stevens Must Die
The issue momentarily quieted down in July last year, when her complaint to Letterman, whatever your opinions of it are, confirmed her return to the show at least. But after protracted hiatuses, plus the lack of a real storyline this season, everybody started wondering who this curious blonde was, chasing after Alex (Justin Chambers) and popping out of nowhere and flying off just as quickly? No one recognized Izzie, or what was left of her after her bout with cancer.
“I am done,” Heigl says. “We just finalized our agreement. Everyone had been working really hard to find an amicable and gracious way of letting go and moving on. It’s sad but it’s what I wanted.”
The repercussions, however, can never be played down. Despite not having any real storylines this season, an unplanned departure from a show where she’s been since the beginning will be very jarring at worst, and depressing at best.
She was scheduled to appear in this season’s last five episodes, but due to this development, that won’t be the case. Her last episode – “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” – when Karev broke up with her is her last.
“I know I’m disappointing the fans,” she adds. “I just had to make a choice. I hope I made the right one.”
Is she disappointing fans by not returning? Perhaps. But after what Grey’s creator Shonda Rhimes subjected her character to in the past, we won’t be surprised if Izzie Stevens gets a violent, violent death; that is, if she’ll be killed off in the first place.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
