Richard Flood, who has been camping Dr. Cormac Hayes since season 16, will bid farewell to “Grey’s Anatomy” in the next episodes of season 18, which are currently broadcast on TF1.
The departures continue to follow one another in Grey’s Anatomy. After Jesse Williams (Jackson Avery) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Andrew DeLuca), who said goodbye during season 17, another actor announced his departure from the medical series last February.
Richard Flood, who has been playing Dr. Cormac Hayes for three seasons, will indeed leave in episode 10 of season 18, which will be broadcast on Wednesday May 11 at 9:10 p.m. on TF1. And it is in episode 9, offered this Wednesday, May 4 at 9:55 p.m., that this departure begins.
A romantic intrigue put on hold
Richard Flood initially joined Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Cormac Hayes for a few episodes in season 16, but was quickly promoted to regular in season 17.
Originally, his character was presented as a potential love interest of Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), the two doctors having many points in common. It is also the best friend of the latter, Cristina Yang, who had sent him to Gray Sloan as a “gift”, so that she finally finds happiness.
But this plot, like many others, was interrupted by the Covid epidemic. The actor would have considered leaving Grey’s Anatomy at the end of season 17 for a time, but he ultimately stayed, which allowed the writers to create a love triangle between Meredith and Nick (Scott Speedman).
“I felt it was the right time” had he thus explained to our colleagues from Deadline. “When I started on the show, I always knew three years was the perfect time. I always want to see what’s out there, to explore new directions and to make different types of series or films.”
“I think my character’s story arc was coming to a natural end, which was great. I was very happy that everyone felt the same, and that they went all the way.“
A surprise resignation
This unexpected departure comes following the events that occurred in the previous episode (broadcast at 9:10 p.m. on TF1), when Cormac, Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy (Kim Raver) are victims of a car accident, which sees the vehicle in which they travel to find themselves perched perilously on the edge of a cliff.
As Teddy and Cormac manage to get out of the car, Owen, still trapped inside, asks the Irish doctor to continue his plan to provide terminally ill war veterans with medicine to help them die without suffering.
Back at the hospital, Cormac Hayes, out of ethical concern, therefore decides to denounce Owen’s actions to Bailey. But once in front of his office, he changes his mind and hands in his resignation. He announces to her his desire to return to live in Ireland with his two children.
This radical decision to resign rather than expose Owen is explained, according to Richard Flood, by the fact that Cormac Hayes is a person “very moral and upright”.
“He found himself in a moral dilemma, and after hearing the way the other characters, especially Bailey, talk about Owen Hunt, he understands that whether he agrees with him or not, what Hunt leaves with a good feeling. But Hayes couldn’t stay in a situation where he felt he was being dishonest. Her only option, for him anyway, was to leave..”
Find new episodes of season 18 of Grey’s Anatomy every Wednesday evening on TF1.