Eric Dane, star of Grey’s Anatomy, has revealed why he was “probably fired” from the hit series

Eric Dane said that instead of wanting to quit the program, his supervisors let him depart.

Despite ABC, the show’s network, not disclosing the reason for his departure, Dane expressed his understanding that the producers let him go because he “wasn’t the same man they had recruited.”

During an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, he discussed his departure from Grey’s Anatomy, where he played Dr. Mark Sloan, aka Dr. McSteamy, for six seasons from 2006 to 2012.

During the show, he stated, “I didn’t leave so much as I think I was let go.”

Dax Shepard, the podcast’s host, questioned whether Dane’s issues with drugs and alcohol after his stint on the show influenced their decision.

He said, “I was struggling.”

“They didn’t let me go because of that, although it didn’t help.”

The 51-year-old Euphoria star hypothesized that he may have gotten too ‘expensive’ for the show.

He said, “I was starting to become, like most of these performers who had spent extensive time on the show, quite pricey for the network.

No matter who they hire, as long as they have Grey, the network knows the show will succeed.

Despite feeling laid off, he thanked Shonda Rhimes, the show’s creator, for allegedly handling the unpleasant situation.

Dane stated, “She defended us ferociously.

“She defended us both publicly and individually. Shonda Rhimes, whom I admire, shielded me from harm, but she ultimately fired me.

“It was simply saying, ‘You’re not coming back,’ rather than ceremoniously declaring your dismissal.”

He revealed how things began to go sideways for him after eight years of working on the program.

The actors continued: “If you take the whole eight years I was on Grey’s Anatomy, I was f****ed up longer than I was sober, and that was when things started going sideways for me.”

Dane’s character died in an aircraft crash during the eighth season finale.

While he survived the episode, his character died at the beginning of season nine.