Dr. Addison Montgomery Is Finally Returning To Grey's Anatomy After Years Away

Another familiar face is returning to Grey Sloan so soon, and her reappearance is long overdue. Many viewers have missed Kate Walsh, who played Addison Montgomery, since she last appeared as a series regular in the Season 3 finale. Unfortunately for stans, the actor left the series to take on the spin-off show Private Practive in 2007. She made a few fun returns to the series throughout Seasons 4 and 5, but has been totally absent from Grey’s for nearly a decade, since her last guest spot in a 2012 Season 8 episode. But finally, after years of absence as a regular, Kate Walsh’s Addison Montgomery is in Grey’s Anatomy Season 18, and it has every Grey’s fan so excited.

ABC announced Walsh's return as Dr. Addison Montgomery in a video on the Grey's Anatomy Twitter account on Thursday, Sept. 2. And who better to lead the video than Walsh herself? The clip shows Walsh dressed in her iconic white jacket. The excited Walsh addressed her fans, 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.”

Walsh continued her announcement, adding, “This season — 18, whew! — Just wait until you see what she has in store for you. The new season premieres Sept. 30 on ABC.”

For a refresher, Walsh first joined Grey’s Anatomy in 2005 at the end of Season 1 and starred as a neonatal surgeon and estranged wife of Derek Shepherd (played by Patrick Dempsey). Although the actor stayed for several seasons, she eventually left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital once Private Practice aired from 2007 to 2013.

Walsh also posted a fun video announcement on her Instagram on Friday, Sept. 3. The clip shows her dancing underneath the caption “Questions I frequently get asked.” Then it flashes to the fan question, “Will you ever return to Grey’s Anatomy?”

After a big “YES” appears, Walsh changes into her doctor’s coat. Then, in total Montgomery fashion, she looks at the camera and says, “Surprise, b*tches, I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me,” before she starts laughing.

The caption of the video added an extra dose of excitement. “It’s really happening. Dr. Addison Montgomery will see you shortly,” she wrote alongside a stethoscope and nail emoji.

Before Walsh’s character Montgomery left Grey Sloan, there was quite the love triangle, including a fling with Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers). Unfortunately, Montgomery’s fling with Karev fizzled out after he didn’t want anything serious. Soon after, she pursued having a baby and visited a fertility specialist. The next thing viewers knew, Montgomery was moving from Seattle to Los Angeles to join the private practice Oceanside Wellness, creating the lead-in for the show Private Practice.

But now that Walsh is finally making her return to Grey’s, fans are showing their excitement:

Luckily, fans won’t have to wait too much longer for Montgomery’s appearance and the return of Grey’s Anatomy, as Season 18 will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 30, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.