Shonda Rhimes No Longer Has a Grey's Anatomy Ending Planned After Changing It '15 Times'

Liliane Lathan/ABC

Nothing will impact the ending of Grey's Anatomy now, according to Shonda Rhimes.

The series creator tells PEOPLE the ending has changed so much since her initial plan, that there's no longer a set ending to the series. Though years ago Rhimes, 52, admitted she'd planned the show's end in advance, the 19-season series has no end in sight — and therefore, no planned conclusion.

"I've had 15 different endings for this show, and the show just keeps going. So anything that I had ever planned is no longer even mildly relevant," Rhimes says.

She adds that it was a very long time ago that she had any ending in sight. "I think maybe eight seasons ago I stopped thinking about it. There's nothing that's changed because there was nothing there to change."

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy's Midori Francis Takes PEOPLE Behind the Scenes of Season 19!

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Rhimes' reveal comes as star Ellen Pompeo has taken a step back from the series in season 19. The actress who plays Meredith Grey, is only slated to appear in eight episodes of the current season.

When asked if Pompeo's absence would change the end at all, Rhimes adds, "No, we're all good there." Pompeo is focusing her energy elsewhere — on an upcoming Hulu series inspired by the 2009 film Orphan.

In 2021, Rhimes said she may not even be the person who writes the ending for Grey's Anatomy, as now, she has a whole list of other projects under her belt — including Netflix's megahit Regency romance Bridgerton.

RELATED: Shonda Rhimes Says She Rewrote the Ending of Grey's Anatomy 'a Good Eight Times

As she's signed on for a a massive deal with Netflix, Rhimes said she may not "be the person who decides, like, what the final scene is," in a conversation with Variety's Show Woman of the Year issue.

"If you'd ask me this question three years ago, or prior to Krista [Vernoff] arriving, I would have said, 'Yes, I can tell you exactly how it's going to end,'" said Rhimes, who just this Tuesday released the book Inside Bridgerton with Bridgerton co-creator Betsy Beers. "But once you hand off the ball for real, it's just different. So I don't know yet."

Rhimes did confirm she'll be the one to call for the curtain to close when it's time to end the medical drama.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Grey's Anatomy season 19 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.