Yahoo News Grey's Anatomy airs touching tribute to Stephanie Leifer in season 21 premiere
Grey's Anatomy has aired a touching tribute to executive Stephanie Leifer, who died of cancer in June.
The medical drama, which returned to US screens this week, dedicated its season 21 premiere to the long-serving executive.
As the episode ended, "In Memory of Stephanie Leifer" was poignantly showcased against a plain, black screen.
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Leifer worked as a programming executive for a combined 28 years at ABC and its sister studio. She served as head of current programming, overseeing various shows including Grey's Anatomy, before leaving the company in 2022.
Leifer was described as "an incredible person and devoted champion of Grey's" by Grey's Anatomy executive producer and showrunner Meg Marinis. The pair had worked together for more than 15 years, as Marinis rose through the ranks on the show.
"She truly believed in us from the early years all the way through and supported our creative vision," Marinis told Deadline.
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"I started my career as a PA, delivering Grey's scripts to her office, and I remember her door always being open. She was so encouraging to writers and attended several Grey's milestone events. It was a heartbreaking loss for this family."
Season 21 will see the return of Dr Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams), Dr Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) and Dr Sydney Heron (Kali Rocha).
Meanwhile, Ellen Pompeo will be reprising her iconic role as Meredith Grey for at least seven episodes. She will be joined by Meredith's love interest Nick Marsh (Scott Speedman), who will appear in at least five episodes.
Grey's Anatomy season 21 premiered on Thursday, September 26 at 10pm ET on ABC in the US. Previous seasons are streaming on Disney+ in the UK.
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