'Grey's Anatomy' Fans Shocked After Kate Walsh Announces Surprise Return for Season 18

Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery is officially heading back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, and fans couldn't be more ecstatic. Following a multi-year absence, Kate Walsh is set to reprise her role as the world-class neonatal surgeon on Grey's Anatomy Season 18. This will mark the first time Walsh has scrubbed in as the character since the Grey's spinoff series Private Practice ended its six-season run in 2013. She last appeared on Grey's in Season 8.

Walsh's return to ABC's hit medical drama was confirmed Thursday evening via the show's official social media accounts, where Walsh in a video told fans, "Well well well, would you look who it is. That's right, my loves, Dr. Addison Montgomery is coming back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital." The actress, who has added a number of other credits to her name since leaving the series, said she is "so excited to be home again" and is looking forward to "joining Shonda [Rhimes], Ellen [Pompeo], and the rest of the incredible cast." Exact details regarding Walsh's return were not provided, including how many episodes she will appear in. A prior report from TVLine said Walsh is slated to appear "in multiple episodes."

Walsh's surprise return was a celebrated moment among fans, who flocked to social media to express their excitement. Dr. Addison Montgomery had been a fan-favorite character on the series, having first appeared at the end of Season 1 as Derek Shepherd's wife. She left her series regular role when Private Practice, a Grey's spinoff following her character, launched in 2007, though she continued to make guest appearances through Season 8. Now, fans are more than eager to welcome Walsh and her onscreen counterpart back to Grey Sloan when Grey's Anatomy Season 30 premieres on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. ET.