Grey's Anatomy confirms Kate Walsh is returning as Addison Montgomery

3 September 2021, 11:40

Grey's Anatomy confirms the return of Kate Walsh as Addison Montgomery

By Katie Louise Smith

"Dr. Addison Montgomery is coming back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and I'm so excited to be home again."

It's finally happening. Grey's Anatomy is giving the fans one of the things they've been begging for: Kate Walsh is returning as Dr. Addison Montgomery.

Kate will be back as the iconic Addison for a multi-episode arc in the forthcoming season 18, but the details of that arc have not been specified just yet.

Kate also confirmed the news in a video posted on the Grey's Anatomy social media accounts, saying: "Well, well, well... would you look who it is? That's right, my loves. Dr. Addison Montgomery is coming back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and I'm so excited to be home again, joining Shonda, Ellen and the rest of the incredible cast."

In her own TikTok video, Kate put Addison's white lab coat back on before lip-syncing, "Surprise bitch, bet you thought you'd seen the last of me."

Kate Walsh played Addison in 59 episodes of Grey's, before leaving at the end of season 3 to star in her own spin-off series, Private Practice.

Addison hasn’t been seen in Grey’s Anatomy since season 8, when the show aired an alternate reality episode titled ‘If/Then’. She’s been mentioned by name a few times since her last appearance, mostly by Amelia Shepherd who is still in contact with her former sister-in-law, and once by Alex Karev who mentioned that she sent a letter in support of Meredith Grey during her court trial in season 16.

At the end of Private Practice's six-season run, Addison got married to Dr. Jake Reilly (played by Benjamin Bratt) and adopted a son called Henry. She still, as far as we know, lives in Los Angeles.

Kate Walsh confirms Addison's return to Grey's Anatomy

Details about the reason for Addison’s return, or her storyline at large, have not been revealed just yet. But thanks to a few on-going character arcs from season 17, fans have their ideas about why Addison could be back.

Season 17 saw Jo Wilson switch to the OB/GYN speciality and Addison's return could obviously play into that storyline. It's also likely that she'll feature heavily in Amelia's upcoming storyline too.

There's no confirmation about what episode Addison will return in just yet.

The first three episode titles for season 18 have been revealed, and episode 3 is set to be titled ‘Hotter Than Hell’. And I don’t know about you but, Satan herself, the Ruler of All that is Evil, returning in that specific episode? I would LOVE to see it.

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