Grey’s Anatomy’s upcoming 20th season has been delayed indefinitely due to the Hollywood strikes.
The medical drama has traditionally returned for new seasons in the autumn, though the network ABC has now confirmed their premiere dates for the fall and Grey’s is notably absent.
It comes amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and actors’ union SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have affected a huge number of big and small screen projects. Central issues have included residual payments from streaming and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
Meanwhile, back in May, Grey’s Anatomy confirmed the return of a number of cast members for season 20 including James Pickens Jr (Richard Webber), Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey), Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt), Camilla Luddington (Jo Wilson) and Caterina Scorsone (Amelia Shepherd).
Fellow stars Harry Shum Jr (Benson Kwan, aka Blue), Adelaide Kane (Jules Millin), Alexis Floyd (Simone Griffiths), Niko Terho (Lucas Adams) and Midori Francis (Mika Yasuda) are all also expected to make an appearance.
The last season of the show saw a number of significant departures such as the titular star Ellen Pompeo who has famously played Meredith Grey since the pilot, Kelly McCreary as Dr Maggie Pierce and showrunner Krista Vernoff.
Speaking about the show’s future, creator Shonda Rhimes told E! News: “I might be a very old lady by the time we reach its last season because it doesn’t seem to be stopping, which is wonderful and I feel the world really belongs to the fans and the fans have been really clear about what they want.”
She added: “It’s such an amazing show and it’s doing so well as it’s moving forward. I’m going to leave it alone and see where it goes, and we’re going to stay a show as long as everybody wants to be there and as long as the fans want to be there.”
Grey’s Anatomy airs on ABC in the US. The show streams on Disney+ in the UK, where new episodes premiere on Wednesdays.
