Days before the Season 22 finale, Grey’s Anatomy surprised fans with the unexpected firing of a long-running character.
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The medical drama decided to cut Dr. Benson Kwan (Harry Shum Jr.) during last week’s episode. The show also hinted that Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) will be departing. However, Hunt and Alterman’s departures were announced in advance.
Shum joined the Grey’s Anatomy cast during the show’s Season 19.
Dr. Kwan was fired after he injected a patient with an experimental treatment that the FDA rejected. His actions were discovered by one of the Grey’s Anatomy mainstays Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.).
Amid Kwan’s incident, Altman was considering taking a job in Paris, which led to a big fight with Owen. Things took a turn when Owens left her a voicemail. He revealed he got into a serious car accident while on the phone.
McKidd first appeared on Grey’s Anatomy during its Season 5, while Raver joined the show the following season. She stayed on the show until Season 9 and then returned in Season 14.
McKidd and Raver Announced Their Departures in March
In a statement, McKidd spoke out about his departure from Grey’s Anatomy.
“Grey’s Anatomy has been a huge chapter of my life, creatively and personally,” he stated. “And I’m deeply grateful for everything the show has given me over the years.
He then shared, “Playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show have both shaped me enormously, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of people throughout that time.”
“I’m particularly thankful to Shonda Rhimes for creating Owen, and for the encouragement she gave me as I stepped into directing,” he noted. “As that chapter comes to a close, I’m looking forward to what’s ahead — building new work, telling new stories, and taking everything I’ve learned into the next phase of my career.”
Raver also issued a statement about her Grey’s Anatomy exit. She noted that playing Teddy would “always hold a dear and special place” in her heart.
“Sixteen years ago, I had the incredible privilege of stepping into this role thanks to the vision of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers,” she stated. “Since that day, it has been a true gift to bring the iconic words of Shonda and our brilliant team of writers to life.”
She also shared, “I am especially grateful to our current showrunner, Meg Marinis, for her leadership and heart, and I want to honor the immense talent of the showrunners who came before her, including Krista Vernoff whose guidance helped shape Teddy’s journey through the years.”
Raver went on to add, “To the fans – your unwavering devotion and support are the reason this show remains such a force. Thank you for making this set my place of magic and my home.”