T.R. Knight: Leaving Grey’s Isn’t Easy
June 19 2009, Published 3:54 p.m. ET
It’s official. T.R. Knight, a.k.a. Dr. George O’Malley, is leaving Grey’s Anatomy.
On Friday, June 19, Knight released a statement explaining his decision: “Leaving Grey’s Anatomy was not an easy decision for me to make. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this character and will miss my fellow cast and crew very much. I continue to wish them the very best, and wholeheartedly thank all of the fans who have supported me and the show with such passion and enthusiasm.”
Series creator Shonda Rimes also confirmed Knight’s departure, saying, “I think I speak for the entire Grey’s Anatomy family when I say we wish T.R. Knight the best in his future endeavors. He is an incredibly talented actor and a person whose strength of character is admired by all of us.”
Knight, along with the rest of the "Grey's" cast, became breakout stars when the show debuted in the spring of 2005. But the show’s success has not been without its share of scandal.
In October 2006, castmates Patrick Dempsey and Isaiah Washington had an on-set fight during which Washington reportedly referred to Knight as "a faggot." At the time, Knight had not yet come out publicly as gay, but did so shortly after that widely publicized incident.
For the past year, rumors have swirled that both Knight and good friend and co-star Katherine Heigl wanted to leave for good.
(Photo courtesy of ABC)
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