14 DAY TRIAL // Seven years after he was let go from the hit series “Grey's Anatomy,” actor Isaiah Washington has made a surprising return as Dr. Preston Burke. This was something that fans had been looking forward ever since the news came out earlier in March.
Those who remember will be able to tell you that Washington was fired from the Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers medical drama on ABC after he made an anti-gay remark which was believed to be directed at co-star T. R. Knight.
His character was a central figure on the show during the first three seasons, but the producers had no problem to cut him out of the story as soon as the scandal reached the press. This has been just one of the many gay-related scandals to result in celebrities being fired.
Now, that the episode starring Washington has aired, the GLAAD (the non-governmental media monitoring organization that supports the image of the LGBT community) has praised the producers' initiative to bring Isaiah back on the show.
“His PSA and his statements promoting marriage equality in recent years have sent a strong message of support for LGBT people,” said the organization in a statement, indicating that the actor has repented for his transgression and had taken a more active role in promoting the gay community.
“We look forward to seeing him return to one of our favorite shows, as well as in Patrik-Ian Polk's moving film Blackbird about a young man coming out in a small Southern town,” the statement added.
Right after the incident took place in 2007, Isaiah Washington opened up to the press and maintained that he was innocent, while stressing that the wrong man was fired, pointing instead a blaming finger at Knight.