Entertainment TV Everything to Know About 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19 The upcoming season will feature a handful of returning and new cast members, including Harry Shum Jr. and Midori Francis as first-year surgical residents By Kelsie Gibson Kelsie Gibson Twitter Kelsie Gibson is the SEO Editor of PEOPLE Digital. Since joining the brand in 2021, she has contributed to a number of different verticals, writing and editing SEO content ranging from relationship timelines to TV and movie explainers. Prior to joining PEOPLE, Kelsie worked at POPSUGAR as the Celebrity and Entertainment editor, where she wrote and edited content and conducted various interviews for online and video at press junkets, red carpets, and events such as Tribeca Film Festival. She was also formerly at Bustle, Tiger Beat, and Her Campus and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 3, 2022 12:58 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Liliane Lathan/ABC Grey's Anatomy is really shaking things up for season 19. In the season 18 finale, which also marked the show's 400th episode, the fate of several fan-favorite characters is left up in the air for the upcoming season. While Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) decides to stay at Seattle's Grey Sloan instead of heading to Minnesota, other characters, including Miranda (Chandra Wilson), leave the hospital. Thankfully, there is another season in store to tie up any loose threads. In January, ABC announced the network had ordered a 19th season of the show, which has become the longest-running primetime medical drama series. "Grey's Anatomy has a global impact that can't be overstated," executive producer and showrunner Krista Vernoff said at the time. "Grey's touches, and sometimes changes, hearts and minds worldwide through the depth of connection people feel with these characters. I'm excited to work with our extraordinary writers to dream up where we go from here, and I'm always grateful to our partners at Disney and ABC for letting us tell bold stories with real impact." From which stars are returning to the premiere date, here's everything we know about Grey's Anatomy season 19, so far. Grey's Anatomy Cast and Crew Celebrate the Show's 400th Episode: 'It Stands the Test of Time' Which cast members are returning for Grey's Anatomy season 19? Kevin McKidd, Chandra Wilson and Camilla Luddington. Raymond Liu/Getty When season 19 was announced in January, ABC confirmed that Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, and James Pickens Jr. — who are the only actors who have appeared on the show for all 18 seasons — will return. Ahead of season 17 in July 2020, Deadline reported that Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington, and Kevin McKidd signed three-year contracts for the show which would keep them on the show through season 19. In August, Deadline reported that Pompeo will have a smaller on-screen role next season, only appearing in eight episodes. However, she will continue to narrate every episode as well as serve as an executive producer. Will there be any new cast members on Grey's Anatomy season 19? Grey's Anatomy has added a handful of new stars to the upcoming season 19 cast, including Harry Shum Jr. (Glee), Alexis Floyd (Inventing Anna), Niko Terho (The Thing About Harry), Adelaide Kane (Reign), and Midori Francis (Dash & Lily), who will play first-year surgical residents at Grey Sloan. What will Grey's Anatomy season 19 be about? Though ABC hasn't announced an official tagline for the upcoming season, the season 18 series finale sets up a handful of storylines. Following the shutdown of Grey Sloan's residency program, season 19 will likely largely center around Meredith as she works to save the hospital, especially after Miranda's exit as Chief of Surgery. Will Grey's Anatomy season 19 be the show's last season? Liliane Lathan/ABC It has been largely speculated that Grey's Anatomy's upcoming season could be the show's last following Pompeo's comments about her desire to end the series in December 2021. "I've been trying to focus on convincing everybody that it should end," she said during an interview with Insider. "I feel like I'm the super naive one who keeps saying, 'But what's the story going to be, what story are we going to tell?' " Kevin McKidd previously discussed the show's possible end with PEOPLE at Grey's Anatomy 400th Episode Celebration in Hollywood. "I don't know how this show ends at this point," he said. "We all thought this season was going to be the end. I felt we were all building towards it, this season. But the audience just seems to want more still." He added, "The thing is with a medical show ... most TV shows struggle because their narrative or the construct of how they're telling stories, it starts to become convoluted to keep it going," he explained. "With medical shows, there's an endless amount of stories because there's new people coming into hospitals every single day. So that's why it's hard to really see what the end can be. All I can tell you is it's bigger than all of us at this point." When does Grey's Anatomy season 19 start filming? In August, Deadline reported that production for season 19 is currently underway. When does Grey's Anatomy season 19 premiere? Season 19 will premiere on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 9:00 P.M. right after Station 19.