Amelia Shepherd Off-Screen for 8 Episodes, Returns in 2026

Grey’s Anatomy marked its 450th episode on October 16, 2025, with “We Built This City,” an hour that both celebrated the past and set up a major change: Caterina Scorsone’s Dr. Amelia Shepherd steps away on a sabbatical. The milestone episode ends with Amelia telling Richard Webber she is taking time off, and writer Zoanne Clack says fans will still see her “periodically” before she returns “for good.” In parallel, industry reporting indicates an eight‑episode on‑screen absence with a planned return in 2026 , part of the show’s ongoing episode‑count adjustments for veteran cast members.

What the 450th Episode Confirms On‑Screen

The 450th, “We Built This City,” reunites the “lady sister chiefs” as Kelly McCreary’s Dr. Ma

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