Katherine Heigl To Return To ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ In Season 12? Actress Opens Up About Patrick Dempsey’s Exit

Grey’s Anatomy may have shocked fans with the exit of series star Patrick Dempsey in Season 11. However, while the show has promised some new replacement talent for Season 12, can fans expect to see some familiar faces as well?

Hollywood Life reports that Katherine Heigl, who portrayed Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey’s Anatomy until her departure in 2010, has sparked rumors of a return to the medical drama for Season 12 after her NBC series State of Affairs was cancelled earlier this year.

Heigl sat down for an interview with Entertainment Tonight in which she opened up about longtime friend and Grey’s Anatomy co-star Dempsey’s shocking death on the series as well as responds to rumors that suggest her character, Dr. Stevens, would reemerge in the upcoming season.

Heigl began by revealing that she was “devastated” over the death of Dr. Derek Shepherd, adding, “I just can’t imagine the show without McDreamy. It’s just so hard to picture.”

However, when asked if there were any truth to rumors that she would be returning to Grey’s Anatomy for Season 12, Heigl sadly denied the claims.

“There is not, I’m sorry,” Heigl admits.

Katherine goes on to give praise to the long running series, revealing that despite her highly publicized exit from the show, she is grateful for the opportunities Grey’s Anatomy gave her career.

“This 13-year-old girl was telling me this weekend how much she loves Grey’s Anatomy, and I was like, do you realize you were a 1-year-old when we started the show? It’s been that long since it’s been on the air. It changed the course of my life and my career, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I just hope it goes for as long as they all want it to.”

Ever since her exit from Grey’s in 2010, Heigl has been at the center of reports that suggest she was “difficult” to work with, ultimately resulting in her being let go from the hit series.

Katherine recently opened up regarding those rumors, telling Mario Lopez on Extra that she feels saddened by Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes’ poor impression of her.

“The last one with Shonda…it sucks. I am sorry that she feels that way and I wish her nothing but greatness, and I have nothing negative to say about Shonda. I’m a big fan of her work. I watch Scandal every week, and so I’m sorry she’s left with such a crappy impression of me. I wish I could do something to change that. Maybe I will be able to someday.”

Rhimes previously dissed Heigl in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, in which she praised the smooth production of her hit show Scandal, commenting that there were “no Heigls in this situation.”

While Heigl went on to further defend herself in a Q&A session on Facebook regarding her work on State of Affairs, it doesn’t appear that Rhimes has any plans to include Heigl in future episodes of Grey’s Anatomy.

Do you think Katherine Heigl deserves to return to Grey’s Anatomy? Which other characters would you like to see make an appearance?

[Image Credit: Official Grey’s Anatomy Facebook page / ABC]