Didn’t see that one coming! During the General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling special, Steve Burton appeared to announce his return to the long-running soap. The 53-year-old stepped out alongside co-stars Laura Wright and Kelly Monaco.
In the last moments of the special, a set of doors appeared. Laura walked out and said, “You know what they say… when one door closes.” Kelly walked through another door and added, “Another door opens.”
Suddenly, the door in the middle turned. Steve stepped through the doorway wearing Jason’s signature leather jacket. “Happy anniversary, General Hospital,” he began. “Stay tuned. Big things are coming to Port Charles.”
Steve Burton has a very special announcement to make. 👀 #GH60 pic.twitter.com/TOUwX4VCoP
— General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) January 5, 2024
A day before he announced his General Hospital return, Steve revealed that he was leaving Days of Our Lives. “Wow! Well, I just shot my final scenes here on Days of Our Lives and I just want to say, thank you so much to the cast [and] to the crew. It’s been amazing,” Steve said in a video posted on YouTube.
He thanked his fans for all of their support. “I’m always so full of gratitude. So thank you. Stay tuned,” the actor, who played Harris Michaels, on the soap.
Steve is returning to the General Hospital role that made him famous. The 53-year-old began playing Jason Morgan on the ABC soap in 1991. He was let go from General Hospital in 2021 over the vaccine mandate.
“Unfortunately, General Hospital has let me go because of the vaccine mandate,” he said at the time. “I did apply for my medical and religious exemptions, and both of those were denied. Which, you know, hurts. But this is also about personal freedom to me. I don’t think anybody should lose their livelihood over this.”
He continued, “But with that being said, I’ll always be grateful for my time at General Hospital. I love it there. I grew up there. I grew up with some of you, so I’ll always be grateful.”
In his statement, Steve noted that “when one door closes, multiple doors open. That’s always been my perspective. So I am excited to see what the future brings, and maybe one day if these mandates are lifted, I can return and finish my career as Jason Morgan. That would be an honor. And if not, I’m going to take this amazing experience, move forward, and be forever grateful.” Just 3 years later, Steve is bringing everything full circle and stepping back into Jason Morgan’s shoes.