Shonda Rhimes Jokes That She Thought She Would Have to Sell “Grey's Anatomy” Episodes 'Out of the Back of My Car'

"It's amazing to me that audiences and the fans have been there for that many years,” Rhimes said as 'Grey's Anatomy' celebrates its 20th season

Shonda Rhimes is looking back at the humble beginnings of Grey's Anatomy as the show celebrates its 20th season.

During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Thursday, May 23, the Emmy-nominated show creator, 54, revealed that she never anticipated the show becoming American TV’s longest-running primetime medical drama.

“No, I never thought that Grey's Anatomy [would go 20 seasons],” she shared. “I was like, we'll make seven episodes. I'll be really excited then I'll sell them out of the back of my car because no one will see.”

Related: Shonda Rhimes Recalls Taylor Swift's Barefoot Performance in Her Grey's Anatomy Office: 'No Idea Who She Was' (Exclusive)

“Like, I really thought it was going to be that. It's amazing to me that audiences and the fans have been there for that many years, for that long like on the ride, it's crazy,” she continued.

Rhimes recently opened up in PEOPLE’s Grey’s Anatomy special edition about when she realized the show — which originally chronicled the trials and triumphs of OG interns Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), George O'Malley (T.R. Knight), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) — had become a success.

“I remember actors arriving at work shaken because they’d been chased by paparazzi, which felt really weird for a TV show that wasn’t Friends,” she shared. “I always say that if you watched Grey’s every Thursday night, you spend more time with Meredith and Cristina as your friends than you did with anybody else in your life.”

Related: Inside PEOPLE’s Special Grey’s Anatomy Issue Celebrating 20 Seasons of the Hit Medical Drama Series

Pompeo, 54, said understanding the success of the show — which was renewed for season 21 and launched two spinoffs Private Practice and Station 19  — is “easy,” explaining, “[Creator] Shonda Rhimes is a great writer. Second, Taylor Swift named her cat after Meredith Grey! Just kidding. It is because of our awesome fans.”

“To hold the collective attention of our fans for 20 seasons is something I’m immensely proud of and grateful for,” she added.

Over the course of the last 20 seasons, the show has also sparked an interest in women to follow in the footsteps of Meredith Grey and pursue a career in medicine. “I’ve met women who’ve said, ‘Grey’s Anatomy made me realize that I could be a doctor,’” executive producer Betsey Beers said in the special edition issue.

“That people watch the show and then lots and lots and lots of young women went into science is incredible to me, and I think that it’s such a gift that’s given back to me,” Rhimes added.

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Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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