Grey's Anatomy recently dropped its fall finale episode, and it ended on a cliffhanger that has left viewers anxious. Joe is on the table, and Dr Ndugu has to perform an emergency C-section on her to save her twins. Dr Richard Webber has revealed to Dr Miranda Bailey that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
While Joe's survival hangs in the air, James Pickens Jr., who plays Dr Richard Webber on the show, has revealed that the dramatic storyline follows his battle with prostate cancer. He was diagnosed with it in January 2025.
James Pickens Jr. Battled With Prostate Cancer
In the last part of the episode, the actor revealed that he is associated with Black Health Matters and that prostate cancer is treatable if caught early. In a recent interview with the organisation, he opened up about his family history.
"It's not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family. My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it," he said. "I would have been surprised if I hadn't gotten it."
"I went back in January, and when my PSA numbers came back, my primary (physician) said, 'Yeah, you know what? It's ticked up some more. I want to send you back to the urologist,'" Pickens Jr. shared.
"The urologist looked at me and said, 'Yeah, there's something here. Let's do an MRI,' which we did, and it revealed, as he called it, 'something suspicious,'" Grey's Anatomy actor revealed.
James Pickens Jr. Caught Prostate Cancer Early
In the last message of the fall finale, James Pickens Jr. shared statistics that black men are more likely to suffer from prostate cancer. However, regular check-ups can help with early detection, and promising treatments can help a person get better and lead a healthy life.
The actor revealed that he underwent a radical prostatectomy, a surgical method to remove the entire prostate gland. "We caught it really early, and so they thought that would be the best route to take. I do have a rare variant that you don't see very often. They wanted to err on the side of caution and keep an eye on it," he added.
James Pickens Jr. Is Cancer-Free
The actor shared a post on Instagram to reveal that he is now cancer-free.
"Hi Friends, I'm blessed and grateful to be cancer-free. Thanks so much for all the love and support! Get checked!" read the caption.
Pickens Jr. has been playing Dr Richard Webber on Grey's Anatomy for 22 years now. "I've been really blessed to play this character for as long as I have," he told The Hollywood Reporter.
"I've watched this character evolve over 21 seasons - his ups and downs, I'd like to think of him as being incredibly human through all this," the actor added.
Fans wish him good health, and we cannot wait to see how this storyline will unfold for the second instalment of season 22, which will kick off on January 8, 2026.
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