Patrick Dempsey on Exit from 'Grey's Anatomy': "I'm Not Retiring from Acting"

For fans who are still grieving over Patrick Dempsey’s unfortunate exit from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, the actor confirmed that he will not be leaving his acting career despite spending much time on racing these days.

"I'm not retiring from acting," Dempsey said last Saturday in Indianapolis, where he attended the Indianapolis 500 conducted yearly. The actor was set to kick off the event this Sunday as its honorary starter by waving the green flag to signal the drivers to start their engines.

During a TAG Heuer pre-race reception, the ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ star still insisted that he also loves the sport of racing. Despite remaining in the entertainment industry, Dempsey plans to continue racing around the world.

"I'm getting ready to go to Le Mans in about a week's time," he said. "I just love it. It's really stimulating both physically and mentally.”

Meanwhile, in terms of his acting, one of its highlights was Dempsey’s gig in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in which he starred as Derek Shepherd aka McDreamy.

However, in an unexpected twist, his popular character was killed off last month with which such episode tremendously shocked fans. Dempsey had a two-year contract extension signed last year that would have ensured to retain him on the ABC drama series until it reached season 12.

"Derek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important character – for Meredith, for me and for the fans. I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our 'Mcdreamy’,” executive producer Shonda Rhimes shared.

The series creator also explained how Dempsey’s performance positively affected the ways with which Derek’s character was molded as based on their expectations.

"Patrick Dempsey's performance shaped Derek in a way that I know we both hope became a meaningful example – happy, sad, romantic, painful and always true – of what young women should demand from modern love,” Rhimes explained.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dempsey shared his experience about having to leave ‘Grey’s Anatomy’; he also expresses his understanding as to why the fans were extremely upset when his character was killed off the show.

“I think any time an original cast member has left, there’s always a void that will never be filled,” the actor said. “Shepherd is a beloved character. People don’t want to lose him. He’s been in their lives for over 10 years. But it goes on, and it will evolve.”