Is Kim Raver Replacing Katherine Heigl on Grey's Anatomy?

ABC/Randy Holmes

She's a keeper!

That's the official word coming out of Camp Grey's Anatomy today, with the news that TV muse Kim Raver, aka Dr. Teddy Altman, aka "Desert Storm Barbie," has been promoted to series regular. (ABC confirms this news.)

So, with this new blond-leading-lady force on board, what does this mean for Katherine Heigl's long-term status at Seattle Grace? And more importantly, what about Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd)?

Here's what sources are telling me...

"Katherine is definitely still under contract [with Grey's Anatomy]," one well-placed source close to the series tells me. "But I think it's no secret she wants some time away from Grey's to be with her baby and shoot movies, so bringing on Kim helps with that."

According to sources, Kim will appear in all but one of the remaining 12 episodes of the current season. An ABC source said they don't have an exact episode count yet for Katherine's remaining episodes this season.

If Katherine were to exit the show after her contract ends, I'm told Kim is expected to stick around.

"The producers and ABC execs love Kim," one insider tells me. "They are invested in her for the long haul."

The good news? I'm told the producers and writers also love Cristina with Owen, so you Crowen fans needn't worry too much about Owen's old crush Teddy sticking around.

According to one Grey's source, Kevin (Owen) and Sandra (Cristina) are still shooting romantic scenes together for upcoming episodes, and getting along famously while doing so.

"They were shooting a scene recently," one eyewitness tells me, "and Cristina kept laughing because Kevin had just had his hair dyed a little more red than usual. She kept saying, 'It's so distracting!'"

Now that is some red-hot romance. Hee.

Anyone else pleased as punch that Kim Raver is staying on Grey's? Do you wish you could see more of Katherine Heigl?

I'll be talking to Kim herself later today, so please post any questions you have for her below, and I'll get to as many as I can with her...