Kate Walsh is scrubbing back in.
ABC confirmed to E! News that Dr. Addison Montgomery will return to Grey Sloan Memorial in season 19 of Grey's Anatomy, as first reported by Variety. And fans of the medical drama will be delighted to learn that the actress isn't just making a brief appearance—she's actually returning in a recurring role, too.
Walsh recently reprised her role as the doctor in season 18, in which she, Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) mourned the death of Derek (Patrick Dempsey). Meredith and Addison were able to grieve together and make amends after years of discord.
Walsh and Pompeo's onscreen reunion was particularly emotional, as the actresses have been through so much together since the show first aired in 2005. "All of us from the original cast, we do share such a special bond," Pompeo told E!'s Daily Pop last October. "We went through something that only a few people can understand."
She continued, "To see all of that hard work and all of that craziness that we went through—getting famous so quickly and the show was such a big deal—and to come together again and the show is still on the air, to know that our work has had such an impact, it's pretty moving."
Walsh added in a separate interview with Daily Pop that she was grateful to return to the series, which led to a starring role in her own spin-off Private Practice. "I've had an incredible experience on this show," she shared. "It's never been anything about amazing for me, and I'm incredibly grateful for it. It made me a better actor and a better human and I had nothing but an amazing and incredible experience."
But Grey's Anatomy has changed a lot over the years, with a slew of new stars joining the series in the coming season. Pompeo, meanwhile, is expected to appear on the show in a limited capacity as the show shifts focus to a new generation of medical residents, played by Niko Terho,
In an E! News exclusive sneak peek of season 19, Dr. Grey is shown meeting with the residents, telling them, "Congratulations, you did it. You're here. You will save lives with this equipment—and you will end them."
See how the new residents respond to pressure when season 19 of Grey's Anatomy premieres Oct. 6 on ABC.