why was sarah drew fired from gray's anatomy

Sarah Drew, who played Dr. April Kepner on Grey's Anatomy, was fired after season 14 in 2018. She described the way she was let go as "mean and unjust" and "unceremonious," feeling like being fired from her own family. The official reasoning given was that the show had too many characters, and they needed to downsize because they couldn't effectively service all the characters. Despite the abrupt exit, Drew has since returned for guest appearances and made peace with the situation, expressing no anxiety about returning since she no longer depends on the show for her livelihood. Her initial departure shocked fans, especially because her character's exit storyline was unsatisfying for many and did not align well with her ongoing relationships on the show.