'Grey's Anatomy' Co-Star had Hand in Outing T.R. Knight to Family, New Book Reveals

Former "Grey's Anatomy" actor T.R. Knight wasn't yet out to his family when, in October 2006, two co-stars got into a fight, with Isaiah Washington using a homophobic slur to refer to Knight as he confronted Patrick Dempsey.

It was only when the press ran with the story that Knight's family found out Knight – who was not present on the set at the time of the fight – was gay, a new tell-all book on the popular medical drama details.

"We all felt horrible for T.R. because he had not come out to his family at that point," former "Grey's Anatomy" writer Harry Werksman told Lynette Rice, author of "How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy," Business Insider reported.

"That was the way the news got delivered, and there was a feeling like, 'Oh my God, I can't imagine a worse way for that news to get to your family,'" Werksman added.

The way Werksman tells the story, Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke, was angered by Dempsey (who played Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd) showing up late to film a scene after an already-long day. In the course of his confrontation with Dempsey, Werksman said, Washington shoved Dempsey against a wall and said, "You can't talk to me the way you talk to that little f----t T.R.," E! Online reported.

Despite having apologized for his "unfortunate use of words" in 2006, Washington denied having said the word at the 2007 Golden Globes, E! Online recalled. "No, I did not call T.R. a f----t," Washington declared.

The denial didn't sit well with co-star Katherine Heigl, who told Access Hollywood that Washington "needs to not speak in public," E! said.

"I had a couple glasses of champagne, and I was furious and frustrated for my friend and sick of the whole mess of it," Heigl said about her comment later.

Knight described himself as "floored" by Heigl having stuck up for him. E! quoted him as saying, "How often is someone going to stick their neck out publicly for someone, at the risk of getting slapped in some way, shape or form? That doesn't happen."

Knight came out publicly after news of the fight (and the slur) broke. "I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me," Knight said, in part, in a statement he provided to People Magazine, Business Insider detailed.

In 2007, Knight confirmed to Oprah Winfrey that it had been Washington's use of the slur that prompted him to come out, the article added.

Entertainment Weekly reported back then that Washington's contract was not renewed, and his character disappeared from the show after its third season, though he did make a guest appearance in the show's tenth season.