Star's shock exit from Grey's Anatomy

The cast of Grey's Anatomy.

*Warning: This story contains major Grey's Anatomy spoilers*

Dr McDreamy has left Seattle Grace Hospital for good.

After 11 seasons, Patrick Dempsey has left Grey's Anatomy - the Emmy-winning medical drama from creator Shonda Rhimes.

Dempsey has played the beloved character of Dr Derek Shepherd, aka Dr McDreamy, since the drama first launched in 2005.

Fans of the show please don't read on if you have not watched the most recent episode of Greys Anatomy, because it may ruin your day.

In a shocking twist, Dempseys' beloved character is killed off in the latest episode to air in the US.

Dr Shepherd is killed in a car crash leaving wife Dr Meredith Grey a widow, reports Variety.com.

Rumours of Dempsey's departure have been swirling recently, and the actor spoke about exiting the series last November.

He told the Portland Press Herald he would be leaving the show very soon.

Rhimes says she "never imagined" saying goodbye to Derek Shepherd.

"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," she said in a statement published on People.com.

Dempsey is not the first regular to exit Greys. Katherine Heigl, Isaiah Washington, T.R. Knight, Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh, and most recently, Sandra Oh, also departed the series.

Patrick Dempsey stars as Derek Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy.

• Grey's Anatomy airs in New Zealand on Tuesdays at 9:45pm on TV2.

- AAP