Strike Upsets 'Grey's Anatomy' Cast

[Brian Damage]

The cast of medical drama Grey's Anatomy fears its season could come to a halt at Christmas if the Hollywood writer's strike isn't resolved quickly.

Writers Guild of America members are scheduled to strike from Monday and "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey admits the show won't survive a lengthy walk-out.

He says, "The problem is that we're not that far ahead, script wise. I think we'll have enough shows that take us through Christmas, and, after that, we'll see if that's the season or not. I think there's a real chance of that happening. It's going to be very bad for television, certainly. The season will be wiped out.

"My concern is not so much for myself really, because I'll be alright, but I think how long this strike lasts is going to affect a lot of people that are living paycheck to paycheck - they are going to be damaged profoundly by this, and I think that's a real tragedy.

"I think a lot of people and a lot of families are going to be in a difficult place in their lives; hopefully we can come to some sort of understanding and resolve this soon enough that it doesn't affect those people."