Katherine Heigl addresses Grey’s Anatomy controversy with honest response

Katherine Heigl has finally addressed her controversial Emmy decision during Grey’s Anatomy, claiming that she wasn’t ‘trying to be a d**k’.

Katherine Heigl was a Grey’s Anatomy original when it first aired in 2005, starring as Isobel Katherine Stevens for six seasons of the hit medical drama.

Despite being an original cast member, she developed a turbulent relationship with the drama after she criticised the storylines she had been given.

She disapproved of them so much, that rumours were spread that she turned down an Emmy nomination for the performance, as she didn’t believe 'she was worthy'.

This caused quite the stir amongst fans, as they speculated that her relationship with the show was on the rocks.

The actress had already won an Emmy in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category, but opted out of the nomination process in 2008.

Well, as part of a recent interview on the Let's Be Clear... with Shannen Doherty podcast, the headline-grabbing Emmy withdrawal has been addressed for the first time in over a decade.

Katherine Heigl has opened up about the controversial decision surrounding an Emmy she was nominated for. (ABC)

In the June 28 interview, Heigl claimed that the rumour she had ‘turned down’ the nomination was completely false.

Responding to Doherty, she said: “I didn't turn it down. You know, you have to submit yourself.

“You have to submit your work and then they deliberate and then they decide if they want to give you a nomination. I just didn't submit my work that year.”

Reflecting on whether she should have gone about the situation differently, Heigl added: “And I should, you know, I don't know, my mother and I were talking about this recently.

“I should have said nothing. I should have just said ‘Oh I forgot,’ because it created such a maelstrom that was so unnecessary, and it really was.”

But Heigl did say that there was a reason she didn’t put her work forward, admitting that it was a slight dig at the Grey’s Anatomy producers.

She reflected on the situation, suggesting she could have handled it differently. (ABC)

She continued: “I was kind of trying to make a bit of a snarky point about my material that year, but I was also just not feeling my material.

“I didn't think I had anything that warranted even the consideration for a nomination.

“I just wasn't proud of my work… I would never be so bold or so arrogant to turn down a nomination.”

She added that she thought that she didn’t ‘warrant’ being nominated for an Emmy that year, and claimed it was an attempt to appeal ‘honourable’.

"I was trying to have some integrity. I wasn't trying to be a d**k."