Longtime Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd is leaving the series after 18 seasons — and fans are celebrating his exit.
McKidd, who plays Dr. Owen Hunt, will be departing the medical drama at the end of this season, the ABC show announced Wednesday. The unpopular character is being written out of the show alongside Dr. Teddy Altman, played by Kim Raver, who has been on the show for 12 seasons. The two characters’ storylines have been linked throughout their time on the show, as they played friends turned lovers turned co-parents.
“Grey’s Anatomy has been a huge chapter of my life, creatively and personally, and I’m deeply grateful for everything the show has given me over the years,” McKidd, who joined the show in 2008, said in a statement.
“Playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show have both shaped me enormously, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of people throughout that time. I’m particularly thankful to Shonda Rhimes for creating Owen, and for the encouragement she gave me as I stepped into directing.”
Although McKidd has been one of the longest cast members on the show, his character is widely hated by fans due to his toxic behavior in relationships — particularly with Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh, and Amelia Shepherd, played by Caterina Scorsone.
Fans of the show immediately celebrated news of the cast shake-up on social media Wednesday, with one fan writing on X, “OWEN HUNT IS LEAVING GREYS FINALLY!!!!!!”
“I’m finally free of Owen Hunt,” one person wrote, while another agreed: “YEEEEESSSSSS OMFG WE ARE FINALLY GETTING RID OF OWEN HUNT!!!!!!!! never come back!!!!!!!!!!!”
Another celebrated, “no offense to mckidd because he seems like a nice guy, but GREY’S IS FINALLY FREE OF OWEN HUNT???”
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One user wrote on X: “We finally got rid of Owen Hunt—I can’t believe it. As for Teddy, I truly feel so sorry for her, but I just hope they gave her a good ending, even though her storyline in the last few seasons made no sense.”
Raver previously left the show at the end of season eight and returned for a guest stint in season 14 before officially returning for season 15. She said in a statement: “Playing Dr. Teddy Altman will always hold a dear and special place in my heart. Sixteen years ago, I had the incredible privilege of stepping into this role thanks to the vision of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. Since that day, it has been a true gift to bring the iconic words of Shonda and our brilliant team of writers to life.”
McKidd and Raver’s departures are a creative decision, according to Rhimes, meaning they may return in the future.
The season 22 finale will air May 7.
