‘MCDREAMY WAS A nightmare!’
PATRICK DEMPSEY IS FACING CLAIMS OF MENACING BEHAVIOUR
When Dr Derek Shepherd, TV’S sexiest neurosurgeon, was abruptly killed off on Grey’s Anatomy in 2015, viewers were understandably outraged.
Mystery surrounded why showrunner, Shonda Rhimes, gave Patrick Dempsey the boot after a decade of wooing Ellen Pompeo’s Dr Meredith Grey, given his popularity.
Now, the new tell-all book, How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy, appears to shed light on the scandal, with author Lynette Rice claiming Patrick, 55, “terrorised the set”.
Among the book’s interviews with more than 80 cast and crew members who contributed to the show, former executive producer, James D. Parriott, alleged “there were HR issues”.
“It wasn’t sexual in any way. Some cast members had all sorts of PTSD with him,” claimed James. “[Patrick] had this hold on the set where he knew he could stop production to scare people. The network and studio came down, and we had sessions with them. I think he was just done with the show … he and Shonda were at each other’s throats.”
Producer
Jeannine Renshaw also suggested it wasn’t always smooth sailing between Patrick and his on-screen love interest, Ellen.
“There were times where Ellen was frustrated with Patrick and she would be angry that he wasn’t working as much,” she stated. “[Ellen] was very big on having things be fair.”
Ellen, 51, has previously spoken about her disappointment that Patrick was paid more than her – despite her being the title character
– and refused to renegotiate their contracts jointly.
Rumours of Patrick’s behaviour circulated while he was on the hit medical drama, including that he had a physical altercation with Isaiah Washington, which then resulted in Isaiah making a homophobic slur against their fellow co-star, T. R. Knight (see below).
Despite Patrick signing a two-year contract extension in 2014, the New York Post reported Shonda “suspended” her leading man in 2015 for his behaviour, shortly before killing off his character.
“Patrick … clashed with Shonda,” the paper claimed.
Katherine Heigl has finally set the record straight about her controversial decision to leave Grey’s Anatomy at the end of Season 6 – confirming it had nothing to do with a rumoured ongoing feud with show creator, Shonda Rhimes.
These rumours only intensified when Katherine, who won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2007, withdrew herself from awards consideration the following year. She claimed her on-screen storyline that year, which saw her character, Izzie Stevens, have an affair with her best friend, George O’malley, didn’t “warrant” a nomination.
Now, 11 years after her dramatic departure, Katherine, 42, has finally spoken out, telling The Daily Telegraph newspaper that the real reasons for her leaving were personal.
“I started a family, and it changed everything. It changed my desire to work full-time,” the now-mum of three said.
The 27 Dresses actress, who is married to singer Josh Kelley, added that she and Shonda tried to “figure out” a compromise with work arrangements, but ultimately the best decision for everyone was for Katherine to step back.
“It wasn’t feeling fair to them or the show to ask them to bend around my needs,” she said.
After taking time out, the star has since returned to TV in the final season of Suits and the Netflix series, Firefly Lane.
katherine heigl: ‘WHY I REALLY LEFT’