ABC

ABC has officially picked up “Grey’s Anatomy” for another season, bringing the Shondaland medical drama to an impressive 15-year run.

“‘Grey’s Anatomy’ has a special place in my heart and millions of viewers feel the same way,” said ABC Entertainment boss Channing Dungey. “Thanks to fiercely loyal fans who have been on this journey since the beginning, and new generations of viewers who continue to discover the joy and drama of Grey Sloan Memorial, the show is as strong as ever.”

The announcement comes one day after the network’s other landmark Shonda Rhimes drama “Scandal” bowed after seven years.

Also Read: 'Grey's Anatomy': Geena Davis Will Reprise Her Role As Dr Nicole Herman

Thursday also marked the final day of filming for “Grey’s” stars Sarah Drew, who had been with the show since its fifth season, and Jessica Capshaw, who had been on since Season 6. Creator and executive producer Rhimes celebrated the two actresses in an Instagram post on Thursday, hailing them as “beautifully talented women.”

“A social media post won’t cut it and I will not minimize their magic by pretending it will,” she wrote. “I have more to say. I will do so. For now I will just say how lucky we were to witness their talents and the magic they brought to their characters.”

Today, in the midst of scheduled mania of #scandal series finale, two beautifully talented women filmed their last scenes at #greysanatomy. Having these things happen at the same time is almost impossible to process. I need to devote a whole day just to celebrate Jessica and just to celebrate Sarah. To tell you stories about their talent and to tell what I know about what their roles have meant. A social media post won't cut it and I will not minimize their magic by pretending it will. I have more to say. I will do so. For now I will just say how lucky we were to witness their talents and the magic they brought to their characters. @jessicacapshaw @thesarahdrew

A post shared by Shonda Rhimes (@shondarhimes) on Apr 19, 2018 at 9:01pm PDT

Also Read: Ellen Pompeo: It's 'Absolutely Not True' That 'Grey's Anatomy' Salary Hike Led to Co-Stars' Exits (Video)

“Grey’s Anatomy” stars Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey. Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, Jesse Williams, Caterina Scorsone, Camilla Luddington, Kelly McCreary and Giacomo Gianniotti also star.

In addition to Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Krista Vernoff, William Harper, Zoanne Clack, Debbie Allen and Fred Einesman executive produce.

Back in January, Pompeo revealed that she had signed a new two-year deal to remain on the series for $20 million per year, making her the highest-paid actress on a TV drama. The new deal provided Pompeo $575,000 per episode, a seven-figure bonus, back end points on the Shondaland show, a producing credit and an executive producing credit on spinoff “Station 19,” which premiered last month.

'Grey's Anatomy' Saddest Goodbyes, From Cristina Yang to Derek Shepherd (Photos)

With the Season 14 finale signaling the exit of Dr. April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) after years on the show, we're prepping ourselves to say goodbye to the fan favorite characters. Here's a look back at the hardest goodbyes from the series.
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Denny Duquette

Long before he was bashing people's heads in with a barbed-wire covered bat named Lucille on "The Walking Dead," Jeffrey Dean Morgan played the impossibly romantic -- and dying -- Denny Duquette on "Grey's Anatomy." Denny's charm won over viewers, and Izzy Stevens (Katherine Heigl), and when he eventually died it was heartbreaking.
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George O'Malley

George (T. R. Knight) was the sweetest intern, even if he was a little bumbling at times. He was always there for his fellow doctors, even when they spent plenty of time teasing him. He even died in sacrifice by saving a woman from getting hit by a bus, only to be hit himself. RIP George.
ABC
Lexie Grey

Meredith's half-little sister Lexie (Chyler Leigh) was a little annoying to be honest when she first appeared in Season 3. But it didn't take long for her to win our hearts, and when she died the infamous plane crash episode we were just as devastated as Mark.
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Mark Sloan

Mark initially survives the plane crash, but returns to the hospital in bad condition -- so bad, in fact, that he's on life support. The rest of the doctors have to deal with the fact that he specifies in his will that after 30 days, he is to be taken off life support.
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Cristina Yang

Saying goodbye to Meredith's person felt just as painful as saying goodbye to our own person after 10 years of watching the best friends. In the Season 10 finale, Cristina (Sandra Oh) leaves the hospital for good to go work in Zurich. Our one consoling fact is that Cristina wasn't killed off.
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Derek Shepherd

After everything that Mer and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) have been through together, watching the machines keeping Derek alive turned off one by one with a super-sad rendition of "Chasing Cars" playing in the background -- oh, not to mention the flashback of their relationship -- broke us. It didn't break Mer, though. "It's okay," she tells him. "You go. We'll be fine."
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These Shondaland character exits left us in tears

With the Season 14 finale signaling the exit of Dr. April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) after years on the show, we're prepping ourselves to say goodbye to the fan favorite characters. Here's a look back at the hardest goodbyes from the series.

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