'Grey's Anatomy' star Jessica Capshaw returns to ABC series as Dr. Arizona Robbins

A longtime "Grey's Anatomy" regular is scrubbing in as a guest star and returning to the ABC show.

Fan favorite "Grey's" alum Jessica Capshaw, who played Dr. Arizona Robbins on the medical drama, is making a comeback during the series' much-anticipated Season 20. Capshaw's original run lasted from 2009 to 2018 on the Shonda Rhimes-created program.

The network announced the casting news at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday. The show has also paged Alex Landi to reprise his role as Dr. Nico Kim, a past love interest of Dr. Levi Schmitt, and tapped "White Collar" star Natalie Morales plus "DMZ" star Freddy Miyares to join the cast as guest stars.

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Dr. Robbins was originally seen as a pioneering character who was a love interest for Dr. Callie Torres, the character played by actress Sara Ramirez. In 2018, Capshaw said goodbye to “Grey’s” in a heartfelt Instagram post.

"For the past 10 years, I have had the rare privilege of not only playing Arizona Robbins but also being madly in love with playing her," Capshaw wrote. "Arizona Robbins is kind, intelligent, funny, insightful, bold, playful, fierce and really good at her job. She was one of the first members of the LGBTQ community to be represented in a series regular role on network television. Her impact on the world is permanent and forever."  

"I am grateful I have gotten to bring her to life and for the life she has brought me. I am sad to see her go, but I am consoled by the idea that she will continue to live on and on in all of our consciences and imaginations,” she continued, before thanking Rhimes "for the ride on this incredible roller coaster."

Dr. Arizona Robbins return follows 'Grey's reunion' at the Emmy Awards

Grey's Anatomy cast members past and present – originals Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, Ellen Pompeo, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson – reunited at this year's Emmy Awards, just shy of 19 years of the show's March 2005 premiere. But "Killing Eve" star Sandra Oh and McDreamy, actor Patrick Dempsey, didn't show up on stage with the cast.

The "Grey's" reunion took place following a tribute from host Anthony Anderson, who talked up his mother's love for medical dramas. "Grey's" is now the longest-running primetime medical drama in TV history.

Season 20 of "Grey's'' debuts on March 14. The series' star Ellen Pompeo exited the show during Season 19 but will return occasionally and provide voiceovers for the series' opening and closing episodes.

Contributing: David Oliver