Katherine Heigl will not return on 'Grey's Anatomy'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Katherine Heigl will not return on Grey's Anatomy season 12, contrary to fan hopes.

Series creator Shonda Rhimes confirmed she has no plans to revive Heigl's character, Izzie Stevens, in an interview with TV Line at the TCA summer press tour party Tuesday.

"No," she responded when asked about the 36-year-old actress. "I'm done with that story. I've turned that idea over in my mind a thousand times and thought about how it would go. And I don't think so."

Heigl portrayed Izzie on six seasons of the ABC medical drama, and left the show in 2010. The actress herself told Entertainment Tonight in June "there's not [a possibility]" of her reprising the doctor.

Rhimes also addressed the death of Patrick Dempsey's character, Derek Shepherd, aka McDreamy. She told reporters the storyline was "the only way" to keep Derek and Meredith Grey's (Ellen Pompeo) love "honest," and said she has no plans for a new Meredith love interest.

Grey's Anatomy debuted in 2005, and will return Sept. 24. Pompeo will continue to play Meredith, with Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey and James Pickens, Jr., as Richard Webber. Heigl last appeared in Jenny's Wedding with Alexis Bledel.