The rumors were there when we posted about T.R. Knight’s unfortunate departure from Grey’s Anatomy, but Ausiello has now officially confirmed that George is headed off to Broadway. Knight has signed on to star in the Broadway revival of Lend Me a Tenor.

There’s not a lot of information about the play quite yet, as additional casting is still unnanounced. But we know that T.R. Knight will be playing the role of Max and that Stanley Tucci will be directing. You might recognize some of his work in Kiss of Death, Big Night and Road to Perdition. If you missed those, you might recognize him as the art director from The Devil Wears Prada. He’ll also be playing the murderer in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of The Lovely Bones, which I believe is due out in December 2009.

The play, on the other hand, opens February 2010.

This is all bittersweet news for Grey’s fans, as we’re going to miss T.R. Knight/George dearly in our show, but it’s always good to know that we can still head over to New York and see him perform. I’m sure he’ll be getting the same support from the Grey’s cast as Chandra Wilson.

Via | Ausiello Files

Image: Newscom

On the heels of the tragic news that T.R. Knight is leaving Seattle Grace (probably for good), comes the really great news that Katherine Heigl is staying on. What does this mean for season six? Well, there’s no guarantees of anything when it comes to the storyline and what happens to the characters, but actors leaving and staying on is usually a good indication about what happens to their fictional counterparts.

The way things are looking: George dies, Izzie lives.

As saddened as I am that any of them has to die, I think I would’ve been more surprised if the outcome had been any different. But I know a lot of you were thinking/hoping that George would be the one to survive and Izzie would head through the exit doors.

This is a pretty major development for the series. When season six airs, we’ll be missing one of the core characters that made Grey’s Anatomy the show it is today. Do you think that T.R. Knight/George being gone from the show will mean the end of the series as we know it? Will you stop watching all together or is Izzie’s survival enough to keep you glued to the screen?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Via | TV Guide

Image: Newscom

While we’re still a ways away from the season six premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, sources from above have confirmed that ABC has granted T.R. Knight a release from his contract.

What does this mean for George? I’m afraid that the news is grim. Though many fans seem to still think the character could live on in another actor’s body, Rhimes has laughed off the rumor, which presumably means that George does not survive the accident.

It does however sound like Shonda & Co. would’ve liked to have Knight around for three episodes next season, but that could not be worked out. Which means that we may very well have seen the last of George/T.R. Knight at Seattle Grace.

Sad news.

For T.R. Knight fans, the actor is in talks to return to the Broadway stage for the revival of Lend Me a Tenor in 2010.

How do you feel about the departure? And what do you think it means for Izzie?

Via | Ausiello

Image: Newscom

I reported not that long ago that Chandra Wilson would be returning to the Broadway stage to take on the role of Matron Mama Morton in the hit musical Chicago. Well, the time has come! And fellow co-stars Sara Ramirez, James Pickens Jr. and T.R. Knight were in the audience on Monday to cheer her on. T.R. Knight brought boyfriend Mark Cornelsen along to the performance.

Speaking of the performance, it sounds like she did an outstanding job, though the actress herself seems mostly relieved that she got through it without messing up! “My 10-year-old daughter [Joy] said, ‘Mom just don’t mess up,’ ” said the three-time Emmy nominee. “That was the advice she gave me and so that’s what I took with me on stage and it seemed to have worked.”

And what did her Grey’s co-stars think?

“She was absolutely amazing,” Pickens told PEOPLE. “She was perfect and should be very proud of her performance. I had a great time watching her.”

I’m sure she’s going to be awesome during the entire run. For those wondering, you can catch Chandra Wilson in Chicago for a four-week stretch only. Her last performance will be Sunday, July 5. So if you haven’t gotten tickets yet, run run run!

Via | PEOPLE

Image: Newscom

So the following piece of news may or may not have anything at all to do with Grey’s Anatomy. But since it could have something to do with it, let’s take a look, shall we?

Do avert your eyes if you wish to remain entirely unawares of anything and all things regarding the possible future of Grey’s.

Still with me? Good.

Reports from the Spoiler House of Ausiello state that Dominic Monaghan has managed to escape the island in Lost and jump on over to a different ABC show. Now it’s all very hush-hush. So hush-hush in fact that the show’s powers that be don’t want anyone to know about it. Know of any shows on ABC with secretive creators that hate spoiler leaks? Well, all of them, maybe.

Now the question remains: If it is actually Grey’s Anatomy that Mr. Monaghan will be joining, why all the secrecy? Does it have something to do with George? Or Izzie? Or something else Shonda Rhimes wishes to keep entirely secret?

Some suggest the reason for the privacy might have to do with Monaghan taking over for T.R. Knight as George O’Malley. Despite the fact that Shonda Rhimes has debunked this rumor, many still think it will happen anyway. After all, Shonda & Co. do love their twists. But I’m still of the camp that believes that this would a) piss off a lot of people and b) be a terribly lame idea. George without T.R. is not George and I’d be hardpressed to believe that the show would go in that direction.

Perhaps it’s not Grey’s at all that he’ll be joining. But if he were to join Grey’s what do you think his role would be?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Via | Ausiello

Image: Newscom

While the media fans the flames of rumors and speculation and us fans continue to contemplate the future of Grey’s Anatomy and its cast, the folks behind the show - i.e. Shonda Rhimes & Co - are running around trying to dispell these rumors. So, for those of you that want to keep track of what’s being said officially, here’s a quick rundown for you:

• Regarding the rumor that T.R. Knight might be replaced by a different actor in order to keep George alive, the official word from Shonda Rhimes on this is, “A hilarious, ridiculous rumor.” She stated this via Twitter.
• Regarding the rumor that T.R. Knight has officially been let out of his contract - It seems T.R. Knight remains contracted with the series throughout Season 6. This is backed up by ABC’s President, and also an industry source that has stated that, “Nothing at all has changed in T.R.’s status.” This of course is no guarantee of anything regarding George’s future, simply that the actor is still contracted to the show.
• More on T.R. Knight from Shonda Rhimes: “There have been lots of rumors about T.R., but T.R.’s never said anything. Take from it what you will.”
• There is no official word from either T.R. Knight’s or Katherine Heigl’s reps on any of this stuff.

In other words: T.R. Knight and Katherine Heigl will be back if ABC/Shonda Rhimes wishes for them to be back. And for the moment, no one wants us to know what’s going to happen with George and Izzie.

For the sake of everyone’s sanity, I’d advice everyone to sit back and not believe anything one way or another regarding either character. It’s very unlikely that those who actually know anything for certain are going to be leaking it, and it’s going to be a bit before things start leaking from above.

I’ll say that I’m relieved that the rumor that George might be back as a different actor has been put to rest. I didn’t really imagine they’d go that route, but all the same: phew.

Via | Spoiler TV

Image: Newscom

As we head into the vast, dark summer months ahead and continue to ponder the future of Izzie and George, we’ll likely encounter a slew of commentary from people on all sides of the industry. Shonda Rhimes has already commented and given us something akin to hope for at least one of the characters - albeit very vague, cryptic hope. And now ABC President Stephen McPherson has dropped the following quote regarding Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight into the mix:

“They’ve both signed on. I can’t say whether or not they’ll both be there.”

So that tells us … well, a whole lot of nothing. But it seems to imply that both actors are willing to reprise their roles. It also puts to rest all those rumors going around the discussion thread that neither actor is contracted for next season and that it automatically means George and Izzie both die.

Glancing at the poll results, it seems that most of you believe George will pass on while Izzie will possibly make a miraculous recovery thanks to “some good medicine.” At this point, all options seem possible, so for those of you trying to keep the hope alive, don’t give up.

Via | Spoiler TV

Image: Newscom

It’s no secret that T.R. Knight’s future with Grey’s Anatomy is a huge question mark. The actor has been in negotiations with ABC for several months now, attempting to find a way out of his contract. Or at least, that’s been the persistent rumor for a while now.

What’s unknown is whether or not the network will allow him to walk off early and, even more, what that might mean for his character on the show.

Recently, new details about George’s storyline have come out into the open, and what they point to is a potential exit for both the actor and the character.

Ausiello has just posted a bit more about these details.

As always, don’t read if you don’t want to know!

**Spoilers**

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It’s time for another weekly dose of Ausiello’s Q&A style spoiler party and this week it’s pretty much all about George (with hints about T.R. Knight’s future status with the show). If you’ve been paying attention to the spoilers and rumors thus far, then the following tidbit will serve as further evidence that these rumors are potentially true.

As always, walk on through if you don’t want to know what’s to come. This is a potentially major spoiler regarding George so don’t click unless you want to know.

Ready?

Set?

**Spoilers**

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The 20th Annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards took place this past Saturday, March 28, and T.R. Knight was in attendance. He presented Suze Orman with the Vito Russo Award, which recognizes mainstream media for the fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the LGBT community.

He was looking sharp as always, and sporting a white knot in support of marriage equality.

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