'Grey's Anatomy' Season 10 Spoilers: Sandra Oh to Exit After Tenth Season

Fans of ABC’s hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” it’s time to bring out the tissues. On Tuesday, it was confirmed that longtime “Grey’s” actress Sandra Oh (Dr. Cristina Yang) would be leaving the series at the end of its tenth season. Oh spoke exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter about her decision to leave the show and her plans for the future.

“Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go,” Oh told THR. “It’s such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well. [Cristina] wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go. We have to start the process, story-wise, for the ‘Grey’s’ writers to think of why she’s going to go.”

Oh, who is part of the show’s original cast members, told THR that she first began to consider the possibility of leaving when she and her fellow original cast mates signed new two-year deals in May 2012. The actress said she informed cast mates about her decision during the table read for the show’s 200th episode.

“Playing Cristina and growing her and growing myself in her, I want to usher her into the next section of her life in the best way possible. It’s got to be Cristina Yang’s happily ever after,” Oh added.

But how with Oh’s exit affect her character’s relationship with Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd)? Showrunner Shonda Rhimes refused to comment on what will happen to the two, but did note that her exit won’t be addressed until the end of the season. Rhimes added that she “won’t deal” with how Cristina’s exit will affect Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) “until we get there.”

For his part, co-star McKidd told THR, “I’ve had the great fortune and luck to be her acting partner and for her to be my acting partner for the last half a decade. It wasn’t a surprise; I was aware of where she’s at but was wishing and hoping that despite all that she might stick around so I might get to still act with her. It wasn’t a surprise, but I was still sad when she told me.”

In other “Grey’s” news, TVLine confirmed that actress Tina Majorino, who portrays intern Heather, will make an appearance in the upcoming season’s two-hour premiere despite getting her own show on TNT. Rhimes revealed that the opener “will account for Heather’s absence” in the rest of the season.

Rhimes added, “We loved [Tina], and she is wonderful on our show. But yes, we will account for her absence.”

The showrunner also talked to TVLine about the show’s upcoming 200th episode, which will serve as the season’s fourth episode. According to TVLine’s Michael Ausiello, Rhimes doesn’t “want to do anything crazy.” Rhimes said, “We’re not doing anything insane that’s going to freak anybody out.”

“Grey’s Anatomy” season 10 premieres with a two-hour episode on Thursday, September 26 at 9 p.m. on ABC.