ABC/DANNY FELDGrey's Anatomy fans, reeeelllllaaaax.
After months of negotiations, the ABC hit series' original stars Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh and Justin Chambers have signed deals to return to the Shonda Rhimes-led series, multiple sources confirm. The announcement is expected to be made this Tuesday, when ABC unveils its new fall schedule.
So how many more seasons would the O.G. GA stars be sticking around for? Find out...
While Grey's Anatomy has yet to be officially renewed for a ninth season (that news should come Tuesday), Dempsey, Pompeo, Oh and Chambers have finalized deals for another two years, ABC and show insiders tell us. (The news was first reported by Deadline.)
Also finalizing deals? James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson, who have also been with the series since it premiered in 2005.
A rep for ABC tells us they do not comment on contract negotiations.
The news will help fans currently trying to predict the shocking death that's set to occur in the finale, as it's now safe to say we can rule out Derek, Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Bailey and Dr. Webber.
"We know somebody dies. It's really really intense. Everyone bawled their way through the table read for the finale," star Sarah Drew recently told us of the finale. "It's huge, it's big, it's sad and it's intense. And it's left really unsettled. Everything is up in the air at the end of the finale."
Back in March, we talked to Rhimes about the challenges of writing the show when the fate of several of your actors is uncertain. "It has been tremendously challenging. I've never started a season not knowing how it's going to end," she told us. "In a weird way, it's been oddly more creative because you don't know where you're going."
We are told the finale will be a cliffhanger in which it is unsure who (if anyone) will return to the show. Translation: We suggest you bring your hanky, y'all!
Are you excited that Dempsey, Pompeo, Oh and Chambers are set to return? Sound off in the comments!