Kate Burton to reprise Ellis Grey role in Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy will return for *does the math* its 18^th season later this year, having just started production, and it comes on the heels of a whopper of a season where Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), suffering through COVID-19, saw visions of past dead characters in her dreams, like husband Derek (Patrick Dempsey). Her mother Ellis (Kate Burton), who passed way back in season 3 from Alzheimer’s, was noticeably absent.

But that all changes (maybe) with the announcement that Ellis Grey will return next season. There’s no word yet if she will come back in a dream sequence – or dare we say it, a McDreamy sequence – but we are dying to know how Shonda Rimes is going to pull this off!

Deadline is reporting that Ellis will appear in multiple episodes, starting with the Season 18 premiere airing on Sept. 30. While Meredith is no longer battling COVID, it’s entirely possible Ellis could return in her dreams nonetheless, as Kate Burton has previously reprised her role in season 15 in a – you guessed it – dream sequence. She has also guest-starred in eight episodes since her character’s death.

Season 17 saw the return of many fan-favourite characters who have died during the run of the show (FYI it’s ABC’S longest-running show in history!). Pompeo’s Meredith, in a COVID-induced coma, found herself on a dream-beach where she was reunited with her late husband, Derek, sister Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) and her former friends/colleagues Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) and George O’Malley (T.R. Knight). 

It was a whirlwind season, but it didn’t land for everybody. Pompeo herself had to take to Twitter to respond to the harsh criticism of season 17’s storylines.

“Seventeen seasons we can’t please everyone all the time,” she tweeted in response to a Twitter user who didn’t enjoy the storyline. "it’s definitely not easy keeping it going and keeping it great… I get it…”

Burton, 63, has been nominated for an Emmy twice for her role on Grey’s Anatomy, so her return is sure to set the episodes alight.

Er, we hope.

BEFORE YOU GO: Sarah Drew returns to Grey's Anatomy

[video_embed id='2160723']BEFORE YOU GO: Sarah Drew returns to Grey's Anatomy[/video_embed]