ABCBurke is checking back in.
Isaiah Washington is set to return to Grey's Anatomy for the first time since his highly publicized exit in 2007, E! News has confirmed.
Washington is set to reprise the role of Dr. Preston Burke on the ABC hit drama for one episode, which will air in May. Washington's return will play a large part in the show's goodbye to Cristina Yang as Sandra Oh is set to exit Grey's at the end of the season.
"It's important to me that Cristina's journey unfolds exactly as it should," Shonda Rhimes said in a statement. "Burke is vital to that journey—he gives her story that full-circle moment we need to properly say goodbye to our beloved Cristina Yang."
Owen (Kevin McKidd) fans, feel free to react at any time.
The last time viewers saw Burke, he had left Cristina at the altar in the season three finale after realizing she didn't actually want to get married.
Washington was let go from the ABC show after reportedly directing the word "f----t" at T.R. Knight, his openly gay costar, during a fight on set with Patrick Dempsey. Months later at the Golden Globes, he used the slur while speaking up in his own defense and saying that the incident as reported "never happened."
Washington left the show in season three His new series The 100 debuts on the CW later this month.
GLAAD, meanwhile, applauded the actor's return, saying in a statement: "His PSA and his statements promoting marriage equality in recent years have sent a strong message of support for LGBT people. We look forward to seeing him return to one of our favorite shows, as well as in Patrik-Ian Polk's moving film Blackbird about a young man coming out in a small Southern town."
Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.