"Grey's Anatomy" fans can breathe a sigh of relief as it has been confirmed that Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey have signed new two-year deals, TVGuide.com reported.
Pompeo and Dempsey, who have played Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek Shepherd since the show's debut in 2005, will stick around at least through Season 12.
According to TVGuide.com, even though the fate of the show is uncertain as ABC has yet to officially pick it up for Season 11, it seems more than likely to happen now that the two leading stars have signed on.
However, Sandra Oh, another "Grey's Anatomy" original, is not expected to join them according to an announcement made in August that she was leaving the ABC medical drama after 10 seasons.
Since multiple other actors' contracts would also be up at the end of Season 10, Oh's announcement sent some "Grey's Anatomy" fans into a frenzy.
According to TVGuide.com, Dempsey, Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. were also among those who signed the two-year deal with Oh at the end of Season 8.
The future for the other actors is as yet unclear.
Executive producer Shonda Rhimes had expressed that she wasn't looking at Season 10 as the end of the series. So Pompeo and Dempsey's decision to stay back doesn't come as much of a surprise.
Back in August, Rhimes told TVLine.com that she didn't expect contract negotiations to go down to the wire like they did in 2012.
"I spoke to [ABC Studios] and asked really clearly that I know sooner rather than later," she told TVLine.com. "Last time they kept me guessing up until almost the last minute, which was really stressful. This time I asked to know much sooner, so that we could plan for it."
Are you happy Dempsey and Pompeo will be returning?