Ellen Pompeo reveals she will return for 'Grey's Anatomy' season 17

"Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo says doesn't have an end date for her stay on the popular medical drama in mind, but she is signed on to come back for another season. In 2018, the actor, who plays Dr. Meredith Grey on the long-running show, inked a new two-year contract with ABC Studios for the seasons 15 and 16.

The season 16 of "Grey's Anatomy" was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic and wrapped up with its episode 21, which aired on April 9. In an interview with Variety's 'After Show', Pompeo was asked if she had an end date in mind.

She replied, "I've signed on for one more season is all I can say." The 50-year-old actor, who turned director on the show's 13th season, said she doesn't know where Meredith goes in the final episode of "Grey's Anatomy".

"I have no expectations and that's how I survive." Asked if she had an image of her final scene, Pompeo said, "Not the final scene. The final episode I did, but I can't really tell you because then I'll have to kill you. (Showrunner) Krista (Vernoff) and I talked about potential things." 

Besides being hit by the pandemic, the 16th season will perhaps be most remembered for the exit of one of the show's original regulars Justin Chambers, who played Dr Alex Karev on the show. 

Pompeo, who earlier said she was "heartbroken" by the news, said it was a "beautifully done" episode. "The writers did a fantastic job... I'm happy with the way it ended because I think that Alex going back to be with Izzie (Stevens, portrayed by Katherine Heigl) is an homage to those first days of that show. The first six seasons, with that original cast, are just fantastic," she added.