Grey's Anatomy: Greg Germann is leaving popular medical drama

Greg Germann, who played Dr Thomas Koracick in four seasons of Grey's Anatomy, has exited the show.

American broadcast company ABC's Grey's Anatomy is saying goodbye to its third series star - Greg Germann, this season.

Greg Germann, who has played Dr Thomas Koracick in four seasons, joined as a recurring character in its 14th season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Greg, the Ally McBeal graduate who has played Dr Thomas Koracick for four seasons, will leave the Shonda Rhimes-made medical drama during its May 20 episode.

The actor joined Grey's as a recurring character in its 14th season before he was upped to series regular ahead of its 16th season.

"Greg Germann is a comic genius and we are so lucky that he brought his talents to our show these last few years. We will miss Greg terribly in the day to day -- but we plan to see Tom Koracick again!" showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement Thursday (local time).

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Greg becomes the third star of the series to leave the show in its current 17th season. Both he and long-term star Jesse Williams are being written out of the series during Thursday's episode, which is titled Tradition. Jesse joined Grey's Anatomy as a recurring player in season six preceding he was elevated to series regular a year later.

The pair join Giacomo Gianniotti, whose character, Andrew DeLuca, was shockingly written out and killed off in March. Andrew was only the fifth series regular in Grey's history to have their storyline end in a fatality and the first since Patrick Dempsey's shocking exit almost six years ago.

As disclosed by The Hollywood Reporter, Season 17 has explored the Covid-19 pandemic. Thomas spent the early part of the season battling Covid and has since become more of a leader at the hospital where he has been a key mentor for characters including Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and a love interest for the beleaguered Teddy (Kim Raver), who picked Owen (Kevin McKidd) over Tom.

Jesse and Greg join a progression of Grey's series regulars who who have walked away from the drama, including original stars Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, TR Knight, Isaiah Washington, Jerrika Hinton, Sara Ramirez, Sandra Oh, Eric Dane and Chyler Leigh. This season, to help counterbalance the sadness of the pandemic storylines, Grey's also brought back Patrick, TR Knight, Eric Dane and Chyler Leigh as part of a dreamlike-beach storyline that was part of Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) fight for her life against Covid-19.

Grey's Anatomy was renewed for its eighteenth season on ABC after original stars Ellen, Chandra Wilson (Bailey) and James Pickens Jr. (Richard) signed rich new deals with Disney.