Grey’s Anatomy is continuing its reign as one of the most enduring TV shows of all time with season 23 already in the works.
The season 22 finale saw the exit of longtime favourites Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), who sailed off into the sunset together to start a new life with the children they share in Paris.
While their departure was confirmed earlier this year, it’ll undoubtedly be quite the loss to the series as we think ahead to the 23rd season. That being said, the finale did leave us on some cliffhangers, with plenty to look forward to. Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital is about to see some big changes, and potentially new faces, as the senior staffing team faces a reshuffle. But when will season 23 be on our screens?
Here’s everything we know about the series so far…
When is the Grey’s Anatomy season 23 release date?
It’s currently unconfirmed when Grey’s Anatomy will be back on our screens – but it has maintained a steady, yearly release ever since it first launched. Typically, new seasons of Grey’s start on ABC in the US during the last week of September or the first week of October, and run through to the following May
There are only two seasons where this hasn’t occurred – season 17 back in 2020 (due to Covid pandemic restrictions delaying production), and season 20 which aired in 2024 (caused by a result of the SAG-AFTRA and writers’ strikes in Hollywood throughout 2023).
With this in mind, it’s highly likely the team will continue this trend into season 23 as well, and we can expect a return towards the later end of this year. We will report back when we know more.
How many episodes will there be in Grey’s Anatomy season 23?
According to a Deadline report published in February, season 23 is believed to be accompanied by a budget cut and a slightly reduced episode count.
This is yet to be officially confirmed by ABC or Disney. Seasons 21 and 22 both had 18 episodes each, but at its height Grey’s would have 25 episodes per season. We will update as more is confirmed.
Who’s in the Grey’s Anatomy season 23 cast?
Grey’s Anatomy has a rotation of doctors and nurses that come in and out of its doors – so it’s difficult to say who will definitely be back.
Two regular faces who won’t be returning are Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver, who play Dr Owen Hunt and Dr Teddy Altman, who confirmed in March they would be leaving in the season 22 finale.
And it’s currently uncertain as to whether they’ll be the only cast exits, with showrunner Meg Marinis telling Deadline when probed about any of the regular cast departing: “We’ll always have to wait to see who shows up in Season 23.” However, there are three characters who, to date, have appeared in almost every episode, and so they are expected to make a return in some capacity.
They are:
- Ellen Pompeo as Dr Meredith Grey
- Chandra Wilson as Dr Miranda Bailey
- James Pickens Jr. as Dr Richard Webber
However, Pompeo’s role has been scaled back over time from a lead to a recurring role, although she continues to provide every episode’s voiceover.
Other key long-running cast members reportedly have another year on their contracts, making them almost a cert to return.
These are:
- Caterina Scorsone as Dr Amelia Shepherd
- Camilla Luddington as Dr Jo Wilson
- Jason George as Dr Ben Warren
- Chris Carmack as Dr Atticus “Link” Lincoln
Newer additions who are also believed to be returning are:
- Anthony Hill as Dr Winston Ndugu
- Alexis Floyd as Dr Simone Griffith
- Harry Shum Jr as Dr Benson “Blue” Kwan
- Adelaide Kane as Dr Jules Millin
- Niko Terho as Dr Lucas Adams
- Trevor Jackson as Dr Wes Bryant