Grey’s Anatomy to lose regular cast member in series shake-up

Grey’s Anatomy will soon wave goodbye to one of its regular cast members as Jake Borelli is set to hang up his scrubs next season.

Borelli, who plays senior resident Levi Schmitt, will depart the show in its forthcoming 21st season after seven years on the show, a new Deadline report claims.

The article, written by the publication’s TV co-editor-in-chief Nellie Andreeva, claims that the recent renewal of Grey’s Anatomy “came with a budget cut”.

As a result, actors on the series face a reduction of their episodic guarantees, which means that they may be in fewer episodes next year, a source told the publication.

The Independent has reached out to ABC, which produces Grey’s Anatomy, for comment.

A TVLine report also notes that the contracts for series veterans Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) and James Pickens Jr (Richard Webber), as well as other established cast members Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt), Kim Raver (Teddy Altman), Caterina Scorsone (Amelia Shepherd) and Camilla Luddington (Jo Wilson) are also up for renewal at the end of season 20, which is likely to mean negotiations for new deals.

Borelli is reportedly a cast member who will feel the effects of changes to the show’s budget, as it is claimed that his character’s story will be tied up in the forthcoming 21st season.

His character Levi joined the show as an intern in season 14 and has risen up the ranks to become a senior resident guiding the new intake group at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Levi made history as part of the show’s first gay male relationship between doctors on the show. In season 15, he and Nico Kim (Alex Landi) shared the first kiss between two male doctors on the programme, kicking off a major LGBT+ storyline.

Borelli, who turned 33 on Monday (13 May), posted a video of him blowing out birthday candles before saying the phrase: “What a time to be alive.”

The caption of the post, which was shared after the report about his status on Grey’s Anatomy was published, reads: “Well, Happy Birthday to me…”

The Independent has reached out to a representative of Jake Borelli for comment.

Grey’s Anatomy has seen several changes to its lineup in its nearly two decades on screen.

Notably, Ellen Pompeo, who plays the series’ central character Meredith Grey, walked away from her full-time position on the show in 2023.

Meredith departed in the season 19 episode, “I’ll Follow the Sun”, in which she moved from the show’s base city, Seattle, across the country to Boston for a new job.

Pompeo still provides voiceovers for the show and has returned for occasional episodes.