Viewers may be seeing less Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy Season 19, but they’ll be seeing more Addison.
Variety reports that Kate Walsh has closed a deal to recur on the upcoming season.
The news comes following a guest-starring stint on Grey’s Anatomy Season 18, which got fans hoping for a more permanent comeback.
Walsh debuted on the freshman finale of the ABC hit, staying on as a series regular until the end of its third season.
The star then headlined Private Practice, a spinoff of the series, for six seasons.
Walsh had never closed the door on a potential comeback.
“Nobody knows what the future holds,” the star teased last year.
“But for now, this is what we’ve got planned: just to have Addison pop in and we’ll see what happens, what transpires.”
Addison is a beloved character who is tethered to the early days of the series.
Having her come back is great news for the fans because a lot has changed for the character in the years she was off-screen.
Grey’s Anatomy fans were dealt a huge blow earlier this year when it was revealed that Ellen Pompeo was dropping down to recurring status.
The star will continue to narrate every episode, and the official first look at Season 19 teased as much.
Original stars James Pickens Jr. (Richard) and Chandra Wilson (Bailey) will continue as series regulars, as well as Caterina Scorsone (Amelia), Kevin McKidd (Owen), Kim Raver (Teddy), Kelly McCreary (Maggie), and Anthony Hill (Winston).
Also returning is Camilla Luddington (Jo), Chris Carmack (Link), and Jake Borelli (Levi).
The five new series regulars include Harry Shum Jr. (Glee), Adelaide Kane (Reign), Alexis Floyd (Inventing Anna), Niko Terho (The Thing About Harry), and Midori Francis (Sex Lives of College Girls).
Grey’s Anatomy is heading into a transitional season, and there will be a lot of changes on the horizon.
What are your thoughts on the shakeup?
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.