ABC’s popular medical drama Grey’s Anatomy has gained a reputation for regularly shaking up its cast. Some actors left the series — which is approaching 20 seasons on the air — to pursue other opportunities. Others, such as Justin Chambers’ Alex Karev, have been written out of the show when those behind the scenes decided it was time to move on from their characters. And then there was Isaiah Washington, who had one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most controversial exits.
When Isaiah Washington left Grey’s Anatomy after just three seasons, it was one of the earliest changes in the show’s history. Fans were stunned to see his character, Dr. Preston Burke, disappear from the series as it continued to grow in popularity. However, his departure was far from simple and involved plenty of behind-the-scenes controversy that made his exit inevitable. Even some die-hard fans of the series may not be aware of what ultimately took place leading up to Isaiah Washington’s departure from Grey’s Anatomy.
Who Was Dr. Preston Burke On Grey’s Anatomy?
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Who Was Dr. Preston Burke On Grey’s Anatomy?
The Grey’s Anatomy Franchise Series Years IMDb Rating Streaming Grey’s Anatomy 2005-Present 7.6 Netflix Hulu Disney+ fubo TV Private Practice 2007-2013 6.8 Hulu Station 19 2018-2024 7.0 Hulu Disney+ fubo TV Dr. Preston Burke was introduced in Grey’s Anatomy’s pilot as the chief cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital. Burke began a relationship with fan-favorite intern Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), but their difference in rank was largely scandalous, so the pair eventually broke it off. When Cristina suffered a miscarriage, she and Burke got back together. Burke was shot in the shoulder in Season 2, Episode 25, “17 Seconds,” which damaged his nerves and caused hand tremors. He was unable to operate on patients, so he required Cristina’s assistance during surgery just in case his tremors became too bad.
- Dr. Preston Burke first appears in the series premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, “A Hard Day’s Night.”
- Dr. Burke makes his last appearance as a series regular in Episode 25 of Grey’s Anatomy Season 3, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All?”
- Isaiah Washington appears in 62 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy.
- Cristina and Burke briefly didn’t speak to each other after Chief of Surgery Richard Webber found out about Burke’s incapacity to operate, but he eventually proposed. He even recovered from his injury after Dr. Derek Shepherd successfully operated on his hand. All seemed well until Burke left Cristina at the altar in the Season 3 finale, having discovered that their planned marriage wasn’t what either of them wanted. Shortly after, it was discovered that Burke had quit his job and left Seattle. However, this wasn’t the last time viewers saw Burke; he returned in Season 10 to be part of Cristina’s departure storyline, wherein it was revealed that his career had continued to thrive in the years since leaving Washington. He invited Cristina to join him at a private cardiothoracic research hospital in Switzerland, and she ultimately accepted his offer.
Why Did Isaiah Washington Leave Grey’s Anatomy?
