"Grey's Anatomy" went through a big change last season when the show killed off Patrick Dempsey's character Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in a car crash, but according to star Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, the show is doing just fine without him.
On Monday, the actress stopped by "The Ellen DeGeneres" show to open up about the exit of her on-screen husband of 11 years and said she was not surprised that the show was still a success after Dempsey's exit.
"It's amazing how much you get done without a penis," she said.
"We miss him dearly," she clarified, "but, yeah, the show is doing very well."
The 46-year-old actress went on to confirm that the current Season 12 of the show will not be the last season of the Shonda Rhimes-produced series.
"I think a lot of people were really upset about his departure, which is super understandable," Pompeo elaborated. "But I think the change is part of the reason why the show goes on so long. I think people tune in to see what the show looks like now, what is Meredith going to do without Derek. I think they get so upset about the change, but change is precisely what everyone always needs to sort of get to the next place."
While Pompeo felt as though the show is now thriving without Dempsey, she admitted that his abrupt and surprising exit was hard on fans but also her as an actress.
"For me too, it's how do I act without him? It's more challenging for me," she revealed. "I'm more invested. I have to work harder to find my groove without that missing part. So it keeps me more engaged."
"I'm more engaged this season than I have been in a long time because for the fans I want to make sure the quality stays still good. They're there for us. I want to be there for them," Pompeo added.
When Season 12 premiered last fall, Pompeo said that she was bothered that fans thought the show could not go on without Dempsey's character and called on Viola Davis' character in "How to Get Away with Murder" and Kerry Washington's "Scandal" character.
"It's like, Annalise Keating carries the show, Olivia Pope carries the show, but somehow, Meredith Grey needs someone," the actress said. "Why can't I just be the lead of the show the way Annalise and Olivia can? Why can't I be on that poster by myself?"
Check out Pompeo's full interview with DeGeneres below:
