TwitterBurke. Is. Back.
Yes, Grey's Anatomy fans, the time has finally come. After exiting the ABC hit drama in the season three finale, Isaiah Washington is set to make his return as Dr. Preston Burke in tonight's episode, "We Are Never Getting Back Together." So why is Burke back? To help Grey's give Cristina a proper goodbye as Sandra Oh is set to exit the show after 10 seasons.
"Yes indeedy, Burke is back," Oh tweeted on Thursday, along with a picture of herself and Washington.
As die-hard Cristina and Burke fans (Sorry, Owen lovers!), we're feeling a whole lot of feelings right now!
"Y'all ready America?" Washington tweeted. "#BurkeIsBack May 1, 2014. (...giggling..."
But before Burke makes his highly anticipated return, ABC is giving fans a quick (and heartbreaking refresher) on his complicated past with Cristina as they are re-airing his final episode. "Fantastically ABC is airing the season 3 finale Cristina & Burke wedding episode at 8 PM," Oh wrote. "That's the last time we saw him."
After Washington's return was announced, creator Shonda Rhimes explained, "It's important to me that Cristina's journey unfolds exactly as it should. Burke is vital to that journey—he gives her story that full-circle moment we need to properly say goodbye to our beloved Cristina Yang."
Washington, who now stars on the CW's new hit series The 100, posted a selfie from the Grey's set while filming his episode, and series star Ellen Pompeo also tweeted a photo with Washington, writing, "BURKE IS BACK #itsallgoodinthehood#burkeisback."
Oh's final appearance as a series regular on Grey's Anatomy will be in the Season 10 finale, airing on Thursday, May 15.
"It was an emotional and deeply creative decision for me and I feel fully supported by Shonda and the writers," Oh said in a statement. "It's so rare in an actor's life to be able to explore and grow a character so fully, so completely. I am profoundly grateful to everyone at GA for the opportunity."
Grey's Anatomy airs tonight at 9 p.m. on ABC.