Grey's Anatomy’s Kelly McCreary has announced that she's leaving the show after nine series.
The actress took to her social media to reveal the news to her fans with a lengthy statement.
The star played Maggie Pierce for the last nine seasons, with her last appearance being on April 13, but it's thought she may return as a guest star later on.
In a statement, Kelly said: " After nine seasons, I am saying goodbye to Maggie Pierce and her Grey Sloan family. It has been a tremendous honor to be a part of such a legendary television institution as Grey's Anatomy.
"I will always be grateful to Shonda Rhimes, Krista Vernoff, and ABC for the opportunity, and to the incredible fans for their passionate support."
"To spend nine years exploring a character inside and out, while reaching a global audience with impactful stories, is a rare gift. It has afforded me an opportunity to collaborate with, learn from, and be inspired by countless brilliant artists both in front of and behind the camera," she told E!
Kelly concluded: "Playing Maggie Pierce has been one of the true joys of my life and I leave with profound gratitude for every step of this journey. I am excited for this next chapter, and what the future holds."
Alongside photos from her time on the show, Kelly wrote another statement on her Instagram page.
Joking about some of her moments on the show, Kelly said: "9 seasons, 200 episodes, scores of heroic surgeries, countless brave patients, dozens of delightful sister house scenes, 1 episode with my real-life sister, some loss and some grief, a few ghostly visitations from mothers, a handful of boyfriends, 2 gorgeous weddings, a bunch of drunken emotional breakdowns, 1 high-speed chase, several awkward dinner parties, 1 punch taken (1 punch thrown)
"At least 1 pratfall, buckets of tears, innumerable fits of laughter, all the medical jargon mastered, a slew of friends for life, myriad collaborators who grew me as an artist, 1 grateful heart and 1 massive THANK YOU. What a ride!"
She isn't the only person who is leaving the show as longtime Grey's Anatomy showrunner and executive producer Krista Vernoff also announced plans to step down at the end of the show's current 19th season.
