Addison Montgomery Returns to 'Grey's Anatomy,' but Why Did She Leave 'Private Practice'?

Oct. 14 2021, Published 6:36 p.m. ET

It has been nearly a decade since we've spent any time with Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery, the extremely proficient board-certified OB/GYN we first met on Grey's Anatomy. However, it wasn't Grey's the place we last saw Kate bringing life into this international. It was on the Grey's spinoff Private Practice. Now, Dr. Addison Montgomery is returning to Grey's as a guest superstar. So, what came about on Addison's Private Practice journey? And why did she depart the display?

Why did Kate Walsh leave 'Private Practice'?

Kate Walsh announced that Season 6 of Private Practice would be her ultimate while she was once a guest on Bethenny Frankel's now-defunct communicate show, Bethenny. Even though this was once way back in 2012, we will still really feel the sting of that day. Kate informed Bethenny, “It’s been a fantastic journey and an awesome ride … and I think extremely grateful to [sequence writer] Shonda Rhimes and the entire fanatics that have been there from day one ’til now." She didn't specifically say why she decided to leave the show.

In a 2012 interview with EW, when asked if she was nervous about not playing Addison every day, Kate said, "Yeah, totally, are you kidding? I would be a robotic if I didn’t really feel total trepidation and fear and anxiousness, and also, it’s been a perfect run." While trying to focus on the end of her journey with Addison, Kate said she felt she was right where she was supposed to be.

Why did 'Private Practice' end?

Unfortunately, Private Practice never reached the great heights of its predecessor Grey's Anatomy. Those are pretty big Crocs to fill. Still, it did well enough to last six seasons, with Kate Walsh's character as the lead. Addison Montgomery was such a beloved character on Grey's that Shonda Rhimes, the show's creator, wrote her a spinoff. In a 2007 TV Guide interview, Kate admitted to being quite surprised by the new show offer: "I used to be surprised and excited and mostly simply completely blown away."

Whispers of the end of Private Practice began circulating when rumors of Kate Walsh leaving started to spread. After announcing she was officially out, Shonda also called it quits for the show. In a tweeted-out announcement, Shonda said, "There used to be numerous dialogue and debate however, in the end, the guys at the network and the studio and I all determined that Private Practice used to be achieving its finish line."

Because everyone knew Season 6 was possibly its last, it was called the "no-holds-barred season." Sadly not even that couldn't increase the viewership. Regarding her exit from the show, Kate told TV Guide, "Between Grey's and this show, it's been 8 and a part seasons, and as superior as it is and up to I really like each single individual I work with from tip to tail, it just looks like I've were given to see what is subsequent for me."

So, what was next for Kate after 'Private Practice'?

Kate was already in the midst of filming The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which was released in 2012, when she announced she was leaving. After that, she was in Scary Movie 5, which led to a few more completely fine comedies. In 2014, she returned to the small screen with the lead role in Bad Judge where she played the titular bad judge. Unfortunately, that only ran for one season.

Then in 2017, Kate played the mother to Hannah Baker in the much-talked-about show 13 Reasons Why. She snagged a recurring role on The Umbrella Academy as well as Emily in Paris, which was much talked about for entirely different reasons. Now, fans of Addison Montgomery are getting the gift of her return as she pops into Grey's Anatomy for Season 18. Could she be gearing up to replace a possibly exiting Ellen Pompeo? Only time will inform!

Watch Grey's Anatomy on Thursdays at Nine p.m. EST on ABC.

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