Patrick Dempsey says he left Grey’s Anatomy to chase racing dream

SportsCars
20 Feb 2026 • 4:05 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Patrick Dempsey, known as Dr Derek Shepherd in Grey's Anatomy, revealed he left the show in 2015 to pursue his passion for car racing.
  • Speaking on ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show, Dempsey stated it was “time to walk away” from the medical drama after nearly a decade.
  • Following his departure, Dempsey competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), achieving a first-place finish in an endurance race in Japan.
  • He also highlighted how the show's visibility aided his charity work, leading to the establishment of the Dempsey Centre, which offers free holistic cancer treatment.
  • Dempsey, who was named People magazine's 'sexiest man alive' in 2023, currently stars in the US crime drama Memory Of A Killer.

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