Kate Walsh is heading back to Grey’s Anatomy for season 18
Walsh played Dr. Addison Montgomery for three seasons on the long-running medical drama
The doctor is (back) in. Kate Walsh, who played neonatal surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery on both Grey’s Anatomy and its spin-off Private Practice, is returning to Grey’s for its upcoming eighteenth season. And no, it does not seem like the show will ever, ever end.
“Well, well, well, would you look who it is, my loves. That’s right, Dr. Addison Montgomery is coming back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.” She teased fans in a video, “Just wait till you see what she has in store!”
Walsh left Grey’s after season 6 to star in her character’s spin-off Private Practice, which ran from 2007 to 2013. Private Practice featured Dr. Montgomery’s fresh start in a Los Angeles clinic following her Grey’s love triangle between Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Addison’s husband Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), and herself. The doctor made a few more sporadic guest appearances on the original series, with her most recent showing in 2012. With this relationship history, Dr. Montgomery’s bound to stir up some fresh drama on the Shondaland series.
Last season of Grey’s Anatomy included other high-profile returns from beloved former cast members such as T.R. Knight, Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh, and Dempsey—whose character supported Meredith’s during her near-death experience as she battled a severe case of coronavirus. Since all those characters are dead, though, we’d say we probably won’t see them again, but you never can tell with Grey’s.
Walsh is expected to appear in multiple episodes throughout the Grey’s Anatomy season. Another Kate—Kate Burton—is reprising her role as Meredith’s late mother Dr. Ellis Grey for multiple episodes as well, despite her character being dead since season 3 (see what we mean?). Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, Alex Landi, Chris Carmack, Ant Hill, Camilla Luddington, and James Pickens Jr. are all returning for the upcoming season, with The O.C.’s Peter Gallagher cast in the new, recurring role of Dr. Alan Hamilton.
The 18th season of Grey’s Anatomy premieres September 30 on ABC. Another Grey’s spin-off, Station 19, has its season 5 premiere that night as well.