I was the hunky star of one of the biggest shows of the noughties – I was secretly fired and no one knew

A FORMER star of a hit TV drama has opened up about being written off the show.

Created by decorated screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, US medical drama Grey’s Anatomy has aired 20 seasons to date on ABC.

Eric Dane, who nowadays stars opposite Zendaya in HBO teen drama Euphoria, played Dr. Mark Sloan, aka ‘McSteamy' for six seasons as a regular.

The now 51-year-old departed the show in season nine, after Mark succumbed to injuries sustained in a plane crash at the end of season eight.

Throughout his stint, Mark joined Derek Shepherd (aka 'McDreamy') as one of the show's hunks, while he also had a romance with Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh).

Alongside some of his former castmates, he made a brief return to Grey’s in season 17.

Title character Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) was in a COVID-induced coma and imagined being reunited with past, deceased characters including Mark Sloan.

Over a decade after his exit as a full-time cast member, Eric has opened up about the circumstances behind his departure.

Speaking to Dax Shepard on his podcast, the star revealed he didn’t quite choose to leave Grey’s Anatomy at the time he was written off.

Explaining he was struggling with addiction at the time, Eric told the host: “I think I was let go.

“They didn’t let me go because of [the addiction], although it definitely didn’t help. 

“I was starting to become, as most of these actors who have spent significant time on a show, you start to become very expensive for the network. 

“And the network knows that the show is going to do what it’s going to do irrespective of who they keep on it. As long as they have their Grey, they’re fine.”

Explaining he hadn't been "the same guy" originally hired, Eric said he understood the reasoning when he was let go.

Furthermore, the star said show creator Shonda Rhimes was "really great" and protected the cast fiercely, publicly and privately.

While experiencing the height of his fame during his time on Grey’s Anatomy, Eric checked himself into rehab for an addiction to painkillers and has struggled with depression over the years.

The actor explained he had been sober for three or fours at the time he joined the school, so he was therefore able to distinguish between what was reality and what wasn’t.

However, Eric doesn't think he handled the fame that came with it very well.

Eric said: “If you take the whole eight years on Grey’s Anatomy, I was f****d up longer than I was sober.

"And that’s when things started going sideways for me.”

He added: “It was overwhelming, and I think I just wanted to pretend that it wasn’t and that I was comfortable with it."