Ellen Pompeo must come clean.

She must set the record straight.

She must tell the hard truth, no matter how difficult it may be to hear:

Grey's Anatomy is on life support.

Prior to the Emmy Awards on Sunday night, the show's beloved leading lady spoke to Entertainment Tonight after the future of the drama on which she's starred for 17-plus seasons.

Heading into yet another premiere on September 30, many fans out there have been wondering whether the show will at last say goodbye in May 2022.

Considering all the recent departures... and Pompeo's contract status... and the mere fact that the series will have been on for an incredible 18 seasons at that point...

... could it finally go off the air in a few months, as many have been speculating of late?

"They're not far off," Pompeo told ET's Nischelle Turner of Season 18 turning out to be the final one for Grey's Anatomy.

"I mean, I've been trying to get away for years. I have been trying," she even admitted.

"It's not because I haven't been trying.

"I have strong relationships at the network and they have been very, very good to me, and have incentivized me to stay."

In other words?

They've paid up.

Pompeo signed a new contract worth $20 million per year in 2018.

Creator Shonda Rhimes has said she'll keep producing the show for as long as Pompeo wants to keep starring on it.

Speaking to ET over the weekend, the 51-year-old noted "creatively, as long as there's something to do," there will be incentive to keep the Grey's legacy going for as long as possible.

This past season saw her character contract Covid-19, fall into a coma and be visited by her late sister, husband and friends via a series of beach fantasy scenes.

"Miraculously, we keep coming up with ways to have a reason to stay and if there's a reason, that warrants it," Pompeo told the outlet.

That said, go ahead and ask her about a 19th season.

Turner did so on the Emmys red carpet and the mere notion seemed to overwhelm Pompeo.

"Oh please! Oh my goodness, can we pray together?" she quipped.

In the near term, however, the actress is excited by what's on tap.

Which includes the unexpected return of Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery.

"Kate is amazing," Pompeo said to ET.

"That's one of my favorite things about the show right now is having original cast members come back.

"It's so fun and so nostalgic and we all have such an incredible bond that's kind of hard to describe and it's been a lot of fun having everybody come back."

Whenever Grey's Anatomy does end, it will go down as one of the most successful programs ever.

And then Pompeo may never act again, based on comments she made over the summer.

"I'm not really supposed to say anything about it," the popular actress concluded of when the series may at last go off the air.

"I don't want to be disrespectful to people I've promised things to."