OG 'Grey's Anatomy' star set for surprise comeback as ABC medical drama builds buzz for season 22
When it comes to bringing out the big guns, 'Grey's Anatomy' isn't shy. While the twenty-first season of the long-running ABC show ended with arguably one of the most dramatic finales in television history, the ongoing twenty-second season is making all the buzz with its illustrious guest appearances. Variety recently broke the news that Kate Walsh will once again appear as Dr. Addison Montgomery in an upcoming episode of the medical drama.
Walsh's character first walked into Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in the debut season of 'Grey's Anatomy' in 2005, according to TVLine. Walsh soon became a regular fixture on the show and remained so till the show's third season. The popularity of the character prompted ABC to greenlight the first 'Grey's' spinoff, 'Private Practice'. Walsh led the spinoff show for six years between 2007 and 2013, appearing on every episode. She was also frequently seen on the original show as a recurring guest star, ending her run with her appearance in the season eight episode, 'If/Then', in 2012.
Nevertheless, it wasn't long before Dr. Addision Montgomery was soon called back to attention at Sloan Grey Memorial Hospital. Seasons eighteen and nineteen saw Walsh featuring in a total of eight episodes between 2021 and 2023. The upcoming season 22 episode that shall bring her back is titled 'Strip That Down', and will air on January 29, 2026, exclusively on ABC, marking the end of an almost two-year absence from 'Grey's' on the part of Walsh. At the time of writing this article, the plot details of the upcoming episode were yet to be announced.
'Grey's Anatomy' showrunner Meg Marinis had previously opened up about the guest appearances on the twenty-second season of the show while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. She had mentioned, "We’ll definitely have a couple of visits from old characters, Meredith will interact with some of those planned visits, and you might get to see Meredith in her old house." The news of Walsh's return to the ABC show was first confirmed by show creator Shonda Rhimes' production company, Shondaland, on Instagram on December 4. The post read, "We're excited to announce the return of Dr. Addison Montgomery to Grey Sloan!" Walsh added to the excitement of the declaration when she herself commented on the post with a heart-eyed emoticon, "Here we go," as revealed by E! News.
Apart from her time on 'Grey's', Walsh is also known for her roles in 'Emily In Paris', 'Thirteen Reasons Why', and Netflix's 'The Umbrella Academy'. Her upcoming works include the Steve Pink helmed comedy feature 'What The F*ck Is My Password' wherein she will be seen alongside 'Grey's' co-stars Alexander Ludwig, Kal Penn, Adam Pally, and Stephen Dorff.
