"Grey's Anatomy" showrunner Shonda Rhimes slammed rumors that Katherine Heigl will be returning in season 12 to reprise her role as Izzie Stevens. Ever since the "State of Affairs" star left the ABC series, fans have been eagerly awaiting for a reunion episode.
According to TV Guide, Rhimes, however, is not looking forward to doing another episode with Heigl. She claimed that she is done with Izzie's story and has no interest in asking her to return to the series. Rhimes, however, shared that she has envisioned possible storylines for Heigl's character but quickly added that it is not going to happen in the near future.
The publication also pointed out that fans of Heigl should stop holding their breath waiting for the actress' return, adding that Rhimes' body language indicated that Izzie's story is long done as far as the showrunner is concerned. It was said that Rhimes wanted everyone to move on and focus on the new characters.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Heigl confirmed that she will not be returning to "Grey's Anatomy" season 12, contrary to earlier reports. When asked if there was even a possibility that she would guest star in one of the episodes, the actress candidly said that there was none.
It has long been rumored that Heigl left the ABC series because of Rhimes. The actress reportedly got into the producer's nerves because of her diva attitude. Rhimes famously said that she had no time to be dealing with "nasty people," which many speculate was a jab at Heigl.