Knight Speaks Out About Leaving 'Grey's'

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Spoiler alert: This time it's official, George O'Malley is dead.
Back in May, we reported that T.R. Knight was leaving 'Grey's Anatomy' via E!Online, now word comes from Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly that the actor has been let out of his contract early.
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"Leaving 'Grey's Anatomy' was not an easy decision for me to make. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this character and will miss my fellow cast and crew very much. I continue to wish them the very best, and wholeheartedly thank all of the fans who have supported me and the show with such passion and enthusiasm," Knight said in a statement, according to Ausiello.
"He fought for what he wanted, and he got it," his former co-star Melissa George confirmed, PEOPLE reports.
The actor is allegedly gearing up for a run on Broadway, and plans to focus his talents on theater.
Show creator Shonda Rhimes released her own statement on Knight's departure. "I think I speak for the entire 'Grey's Anatomy' family when I say we wish T.R. Knight the best in his future endeavors. He is an incredibly talented actor and a person whose strength of character is admired by all of us."
Rumors surfaced earlier in the fifth season of the hit medical show that Knight was unhappy with his diminishing story lines -- something Rhimes suggested was part of the "ebbs and flows" of TV and necessary for the shocker of a season finale, in which the audiences find out the John Doe who had been disfigured by a bus was really George.
"I really wanted you to not notice that he wasn't there for most of this episode. I don't think anybody noticed because of the way we laid it out this season," Rhimes explained.
But even before that, Knight and Rhimes were said to have butted heads because the show's creator didn't stand up for him when Isaiah Washington used a anti-gay slur against him, forcing him out of the closet.
In more 'Anatomy' news, Katherine Heigl, Knight's on-screen and off-screen BFF, is returning for the sixth season -- after her character's fate was left unknown in the last season's finale. The actress had long been rumored to want out of her contract to pursue her film career, but recently stated she would stay on the series as long as Izzy was there.
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T.R. Knight Snapshots
Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight attend the after party for the premiere of 'The Ugly Truth' on July 16 in Hollywood. More T.R. Knight Photos >>
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T.R. Knight Snapshots

    Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight at Columbia Pictures' "The Ugly Truth" Premiere on July 16, 2009 at Pacific' s Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, California. Columbia Pictures Premiere Of "The Ugly Truth" Cinerama Dome Hollywood, CA United States July 16, 2009 Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com To license this image (16871383), contact WireImage.com

    Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: Actors Katherine Heigl (L) and T.R. Knight pose at the afterparty for the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "The Ugly Truth" at Boulevard3 on July 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Katherine Heigl;T.R. Knight

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: Actors Katherine Heigl (L) and T.R. Knight pose at the afterparty for the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "The Ugly Truth" at Boulevard3 on July 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Katherine Heigl;T.R. Knight

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: Actors Katherine Heigl (L) and T.R. Knight pose at the afterparty for the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "The Ugly Truth" at Boulevard3 on July 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Katherine Heigl;T.R. Knight

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: Actors Katherine Heigl (L) and T.R. Knight pose at the afterparty for the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "The Ugly Truth" at Boulevard3 on July 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Katherine Heigl;T.R. Knight

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: Actors Katherine Heigl (L) and T.R. Knight pose at the afterparty for the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "The Ugly Truth" at Boulevard3 on July 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Katherine Heigl;T.R. Knight

    Getty Images

    Actress Katherine Heigl and actor T.R. Knight attend the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of "The Ugly Truth" at the Pacific's Cinerama Dome on July 16, 2009 in Hollywood, California. "The Ugly Truth" Los Angeles Premiere - After Party BOULEVARD3 Hollywood, CA United States July 16, 2009 Photo by John Shearer/WireImage.com To license this image (16871111), contact WireImage.com

    John Shearer/WireImage.com

    Actress Katherine Heigl and actor T.R. Knight attend the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of "The Ugly Truth" at the Pacific's Cinerama Dome on July 16, 2009 in Hollywood, California. "The Ugly Truth" Los Angeles Premiere - After Party BOULEVARD3 Hollywood, CA United States July 16, 2009 Photo by John Shearer/WireImage.com To license this image (16871108), contact WireImage.com

    John Shearer/WireImage.com

    FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2008 file photo, actor T.R. Knight poses on the press line at the 3rd annual "Hot in Hollywood" charity event benefiting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, File)

    AP

    ©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM T.R. Knight is spotted supervising the renovation of his home in Los Feliz. EXCLUSIVE June 20, 2009 Job: 90620W11 Los Angeles, California www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

    SHINN/bauergriffinonline.com

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2009-06-18 09:11:54
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