Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl has opened up about her exit as Dr Izzie Stevens, admitting that she could have handled the departure "with more grace".

Heigl, who recently said a return to Grey's was "not likely", has spoken candidly about the circumstances surrounding her decision to leave the show in 2010, after five years in the role.

"I know there's a better way to deal with those things than I did," she told People. "I could have handled it with more grace."

Related: Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl describes surprise reunion as "an asshole move"

The actress, after lamenting the way the media portrayed her as "difficult" and "ungrateful" following her exit, reassured fans that she has no regrets about leaving the drama. "I did the right thing for me and for my family," she said.

"I don't actually regret leaving Grey's Anatomy... but I do regret the heightened drama I was feeling at that time," Heigl continued.

"If I'd known anything about meditation then, or had been talking to a therapist or someone to help me through some of the fear that I was steeped in, I think I would have been more calm in how I approached what boundaries I needed to create to thrive."

Randy Holmes / ABCGetty Images

Related: Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl opens up about severe anxiety after leaving the show

Katherine's latest comments come after she responded to calls for her character to return last month. Offering a disappointing update, she said she's "super focused" on her upcoming Netflix series Firefly Lane for the time being.

"I would never say never but it's not likely," she said.

Grey's Anatomy season 17 airs on ABC in the US. It airs on Sky Witness in the UK with selected episodes also available on NOW TV.

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