ABC ADDS MIDSEASON HIT "GREY'S ANATOMY" TO GROWING LIST OF 2005-2006 EARLY PICK-UPS

"Grey's Anatomy," the new hit midseason drama, has been added to the ABC Television Network's growing list of early pick-ups for the 2005-06 season, the network announced today.

Ranking a dominant No. 1 in its time period, "Grey's Anatomy" leads its closest competition by 7.2 million viewers (17.8 million vs. 10.6 million - CBS) and beats the combined delivery of CBS and NBC by 22% among Adults 18-49 (7.7/19 vs. 6.3/15). Along with delivering ABC's best audience retention yet coming out of "Desperate Housewives," the new show is also producing ABC's strongest series performance in the hour in more than four years. "Grey's Anatomy" qualifies as the most-watched new midseason drama on all of television in 12 years (since CBS' "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" in 1993) and in 13 years among Adults 18-49 (since ABC's "Indiana Jones Chronicles" in 1992).

"Grey's Anatomy" stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Isaiah Washington as Preston Burke, Katherine Heigl as Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey and James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber.

Shonda Rhimes is creator and executive producer of the series. Mark Gordon, Betsy Beers and Jim Parriott are executive producers. Peter Horton is co-executive producer. "Grey's Anatomy" is a Touchstone Television Production.

As previously announced, already renewed for next season are "According to Jim," "Alias," "America's Funniest Home Videos," "Boston Legal," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "Lost."