General Hospital
BREAKING NEWS: Steve Burton Quits General Hospital!
Photo Credit: MF Soaps Inc.
There has been much talk, rumors, and reports over the last several weeks that General Hospital star, Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) was on his way out off the lone ABC daytime soap, and today Burton officially confirmed it through an exclusive interview with TV Guide.
After 21 years, the fan favorite says it’s time to move on, reveals he has a project in the works with James Franco and Jill Farren Phelps, and discusses if he would consider a return to GH, or even head to Y&R under his friend Phelp’s regime!
Burton also reveals his last GH tape date is set for September 25th, but he told producers he could stay a few weeks longer to wrap up story which could keep him on air through October or possibly into November. Here below are a few excerpts from Burton on his departure!
Steve on the decision to leave GH: “I’ve been through 21 years of ups and downs with GH — regime changes, cast and crew changes, budget cuts, shakeups of one kind or another, and it’s been nothing but a huge positive in my life and for my family. I have no complaints, no negative feelings at all. But it’s time to go. I’m going to take some time off and do nothing but relax, just enjoy life a little bit with my wife and kids. I’ve bought a home in Tennessee, way out in the country outside Nashville. [Laughs] Probably too far out in the country! I’ve been talking about leaving GH and moving there for the last seven years. The timing was never right and then the economy crashed and I couldn’t sell my house in California. I went there many years ago when I did the movie The Last Castle and loved it. Tennessee reminded me of growing up in Ohio. The people are nice, it’s family oriented and, now that my kids are 6 and almost 9, I want to get them planted. My contract was coming up at GH so we put the house up for sale again and it went in, like, eight weeks. That opened the door for me to leave GH.”
Steve on how Jason’s exit and his own departure will leave a huge gap in GH in terms of storytelling: “Obviously, they want me to stay and I know the timing’s not the best in terms of story, but the timing for me, personally, is perfect. That doesn’t mean this is easy. It’s so comfortable for me at GH. This show has been my life, my family. I grew up there! I tried to sit down and write a statement to the fans to say how I feel and how much I appreciate them because they have been absolutely amazing and so incredibly loyal. I’m on Twitter a lot and have gotten to know a lot them. I’m going to miss doing the personal appearances and seeing so many of the same people again and again over the years. So I tried to write something and it was really, really tough. I couldn’t get through it.”
Photo Credit: Steven Bergman
Steve on his project with Jill Farren Phelps and James Franco: “It’s looking great. Jill went off and did that telenovela Hollywood Heights [at Nickelodeon] and James did a day’s work there. Suddenly he decides he wants to make one of his own novellas through his production company and we’re like, “Huh?” So the three of us collaborated on an idea and came up with a really good one. Jill will EP it, I’ll produce and star in it and so will James. We’ll be able to get a lot of great cameos and guest stars because of James’ connections. It’ll be a fun show to do.”
Steve on if he would consider doing a role on Y&R now that Phelps is there: “Listen, Jill is one of my dearest friends. [Laughs] I’m never going to say never because , as soon as I do, I’ll be popping up over there! Here’s the thing: As cool as it was to know I had a nice, cushy place to go every day with GH, I think it’s going to be just as cool to not have a nice, cushy place to go every day. I like not knowing what’s next for a change. I’m jumping off a cliff in a total leap of faith.”
Soapers, this is a hard one for many of us. Steve Burton will sorely be missed and is one of the best guys in the business. How do you feel about the news? How do you think Jason should be “written-out”? What do you think about what seems to be a mass exodus from the soaps by many of the power players of late? Weigh-in!
I know the area where he is moving lovely country and a great place to raise a family he has been talking about this even when Phelps was at GH! Good Luck Steve Burton always respect people who put family first!!!
I agree, as much as I find it sad that the boy, now man who I grew up with is leaving, it saddens me selfishly. He reason has made me love him even more! All the best to you and you wife and children.
Danielle Marois
Canada
Hate that he is leaving! Hope he & Sam ride off into the sunset with their baby and just as everything is Great – Jason has a motorcycle wreck and ????? This is not good news for my Jolie story. Widh him all the luck and success in the world. TN is a beautiful state and I like to visit it myself so I know where he is coming from. Hope to see him on the screen soon!
Devastated! I love Steve/Jason. He is one of my favorite characters on the show. He will be missed everyday I watch GH after he leaves. BUT, since I love Steve sooo much, I wish him nothing but the best of luck what ever he does.
HEARTBROKEN!
I cant believe the news…
But I don’t want Sam with McBain….
They must find there child…!!!
that ‘s a must!
and those hack writers must write
a good storyline for Jason and Sam to find their
child…..
Steve Burton is a sexy man!!!!! No Doubt about it!!!
I wish all good things in the future!!!
Jason and Sam was the elite couple on GH!!!
I will treasure there memories!!!!
I wish Steve and Kelly could leave together!!!
Steve will be sorely miss!!!
Only one word to express how I feel–SICK. I do wish Steve Burton the best of everthing in his endeavors for the future but he will be sorely missed at GH. Good luck sweet Jason with the Stone Cold look.
I wont watch General Hospital after Steve leaves, unless they bring hus look alike cousin to play his part and put him and Sam back together
Wow!! So sad!! He’s my all time favorite!
Was really hoping for a happy ending for
him and Sam:( Lucky enough to have
Met him what a great guy.Really hate
to see him go:( Bad for GH!
Good luck Steve! You will really be missed.
So sad!!I wish him the best of luck!!He didn’t deserve to be treated the way he has the last 10 months
I wish Steve the best of luck but it’s time for him to go. You can tell his heart is not in his work. Hasn’t been for awhile. GH will survive.
I’m gonna miss Steve Burton and Jasam….
there will never be another couple then JASAM
So many wonderful scenes to recall….
How are they gonna wrap up the storyline for Baby Jason..
Icant hardly wait…
This is a sad day for Jasammers
Steve Burton is the most increible sexy man on soaps.
He will be miss
SB is irreplaceable. As fans, the writers have cheated us royally, by destroying the JaSam pairing we all loved and rooted for. They can give us our “reunion”, (which was a travesty as a breakup), and let them end up together, somehow, and best of all with their baby. Nothing else will suffice. On the other hand, with these writers, one can only imagine what sort of horror they will come up with. There is nothing that will ever replace the chemisty and talent that SB and Kelly Monaco gave us. They deserved better for all their work and effort than what they got. That said, as fans we would (selfishly) want Kelly to leave as well, letting them go off into the sunset with their baby. What we will not take or accept is anymore OLTL#2, masquerading as GH. It just would never work, and would be (is) so wrong!
I think Steve Burton probably told the producers and writers awhile ago that he didn’t want to renew his contract and wanted to move to new things. THAT IS PROBABLY WHY THEY DECIDED TO BREAK SAM AND JASON UP. Not the other way around. Steve made it clear in his interview that leaving was his choice.
AND why should Kelly leave a job she loves just because Steve decided to leave. That should be up to Kelly not the fans. As in real life there is changes that come and we just have to deal with them as best as can.
You of course are entitled to your opinion. But I do not believe, for one moment, that negotiations could not have yielded a different outcome. That said, SB does have every right, and should make the decisions best for himself and his family, and we wish him all the best.
As for KM, look again. We said SELFISHLY we wish she would leave. We know she wants to work, and will most likely stay on.
We still fault RC and FV, and won’t back away on that. Our opinion, and
we stand by it. Writing (literally) was on the wall from the day that they came
to GH, bringing ME along.
I have never liked Jason and Sam pairing, to me they are as boring as any happy couple on a soap. I do however love her pairing with McBain, now there is chemistry for you! Very sad Steve is leaving, he is one of my favorites on the show but the show must go on!
Agreed, Kathy…..and as for OLTL, Soaps bring in new characters all the time, so why not bring on characters that already have a fan base and hopefully help boost the ratings of our beloved show so it stays on the air! Isn’t that what we all want?I hate when people bad mouth OLTL, when they are in fact, helping GH in this struggling medium of soap operas to stay afloat. I have watched GH for 20 years and started watching OLTL about 4 years ago and I think that the characters are a fantastic addition! I have always loved the idea of crossovers on my soaps! And it seems to be working so, go GH!
Wow, Sarah, I completely disagree with you. Steve has been talking for a long time about wanting to leave and put his family first. This should not come as a surprise to anyone. While I absolutely hate to see him go, I’m glad he’s leaving on his terms. RC and FV could have given him the moon and it would not have changed what Steve wanted to do. This was HIS choice and noone should be blamed for it. All we can do is be happy for him and move on. Kelly Monaco is a wonderful actress and she will move on with the storyline because she loves her job and we love her too.
I agree, Jamie, the OLTL characters add so much to GH and they are all being intigrated very well. Sam and John have great chemistry as they had before. Carly and Todd (as much as I can’t stand him) have great chemistry and are super actors. The show is so much richer and more diversified now and I’m totally loving it.
Jamie you are of a select few who have that opinion on here. I have been saying this since January when Cartini took over at GH. GH is still GH even though there are 3 characters from OLTL there. I mean just recently Ian Buchanan and Sarah Brown were on Days. Does that mean Days became GH? If OLTL went off the air and they hired the same 3 actors but in different roles nobody would say a word. By doing this they added 3 huge names to the cast. Michael Easton went to OLTL from Port Charles so in a way he’s come around full circle. But anyway what I have said before I will say again. I have watched abc daytime since 1970. Through thick and thin. Some great stories, some not so great and some horrible stories too. But I LOVE the genre just as I love GH and will continue to watch, no matter what. I have seen so many shows come and go in 42 years and I want GH to continue, because I am a true soap fan.
@ Teresa Lol….I know Todd is is so self serving and frustrating most of the time, but you have to admit he’s hilarious!! I haven’t laughed out loud at GH, consistently, since the 90’s when they had Lucy Coe and the Quartermaines burning up the screen. His cell phone ring for Heather Webber literallly makes me LOL every time!! He does comedy SO well.
@ Angela, I know what you mean, it’s so frustrating to read all the comments about how GH is turning into OLTL and they are all going to stop watching. Um, theres 3 characters on there from OLTL and the occasional visit from Blair and Tea. No one cared when Skye and Rae came over from OLTL and AMC. Or when Jake from AW went to ATWT. These are popular charaters with depth and history that will bring in their exisiting fans. I would much rather have them than some nobody character that no one cares about and adds little to the storylines other than being another pretty face. And with RC and FV writing and producing, you really can’t go wrong!
I have watched GH for over 30 years and OLTL almost as long. in all those years I stopped watching GH once for almost a year, because Leslie Webber died ..It took me a year to get over that I was so mad..I hated when OLTL went off the air, all of these people were a part of my every day life..I personally am happy that they brought a few to GH.. I loveJason and Sam they are great together..I hate to see Steve Burton leave, I hope that his exit will be open so that the option will be there if he would one day want to return..I wish him and his family the best, I will not stop watching GH because Steve is leaving even though it breaks my heart..Life does go on even on Soaps…!!!
Sorry Sarah I am going to have to disagree with you too. I have (as I am sure you have to) read and seen many interviews from several veteran GH actors who totally disagree with you too. It looked to me, as the trashing of the new regime got worse, the more supportive of them the actors got. I translated this to believe the actors were happy with where the show was going. I know that Laura Wright in particular has been very verbally supportive of the OLTL actors who have come to GH. She and Maurice Bernard have gone on record as saying that they love how the regime has brought some of characters from Llanview to Port Charles and would have loved to see it done sooner. I know it was LW who threw into her comment to send over some people from Pine Valley too. I see that some of the fans do not care for the OLTL characters but why continue to complain about it. I do not believe we have a long time left with our prescious stories, so I think we should all be as supportive as we can, and enjoy it while we have it. I happen to love Y&R too, along with GH and OLTL they were the stories I have always been loyal too. It will be sad when they are gone and I will miss them greatly. I know one day I will be telling my grandkids about soap operas and what they were, what they have missed. Society is changing and along with that our TV viewing audiances change too. Personally, being an NJ native, I do enjoy NJ Housewives, it is a great laugh sometimes. On another note. I have been watching GH for over 30 years and Sam and Jason were never my favorite couple. I prefer Jason with Liz and still to this day believe Liz is Jason only true love. I am a firm believer that the reason he pushes her away is because of how much he loves her and wants to protect her. It is my opinion that his love was never as strong for Sam because he allowed her to be put in harms way many times. And truly how could he ever love someone who saw his son kidnapped and never said a word about it. I Have had many favorite couples over the years and some of them even have the same people from other unions. lol, that can only happen on a soap. Like loving Liz and Jason but still loving Liz and Lucky. Loving Luke and Laura yet I loveing Luke and Tracy.
This is so horrifying!! I wIsh him the best!! It’s just awful news cause he really is an amazing man & talented actor!!! I’m shaking and teary eyed GOOD LUCK Steve & don’t be a stranger to your fans!!
I got all teared up reading this message to. Thanks Michael go always being on top of everything!!
with each beloved soap character we lose it’s like losing the soap piece by piece. the allure/addiction to a soap is the “people” we’ve come to love. when they’re missing, it’s like losing someone in “real” life. and no, I don’t mean that literally…the loss in no way compares… EXCEPT…for that moment/hour in time you look forward to entering that fantasy world and believing…
so, yeah, I’m very disappointed. he’s one of my favorite characters on the show and I’ve become quite attached to Jason…
with that said, totally understandable and I wish him the best in his new hometown/future endeavors.
Rebecca…
emotional… heartwrenching.
so well said…
“…it’s like losing the soap piece by piece.”
Looks like we’re going to have to endure McBam now, all hope is gone for a Jasam and Jolie reunion. This is not going to be good for GH’s ratings.
I absolutely can not watch McBam!
I was hanging around waiting to see if the Mcbam crap is going some where or not looks like I wont have to DVR Gh any longer! This is crap breaking of two long term almost soap historic couples for this Mcbam crap….The way the writers treated OLTL Jolie fans has me tooned out too. They could have broke them up in a better way…than cheating and a restraining order something neither would have done on OLTL. I understand SB wanting to leave can they at least give the Jasam fans the last couple of months? knowing RC/FV and what they did to Jolie I doubt it….I will not watch MCbam…
I was a fan of Kelly & Michael when they did Port Charles together, and think they have great chemistry together. But, I also understand that it’s hard to get behind a couple that many people don’t have a connection with. Give it time 🙂
I don’t understand how people can say they LOVE GH and then turn around and say they’re going to stop watching because their favorite couple are no longer together. The bottom line is, if you want GH to stick around you have to support it. I could understand if the writing or taping was really crappy but that’s the farthest thing from the truth here. GH has not been this good since back in the early 80’s when it was No 1. I think people just need to go with the flow and enjoy the wonderful storytelling.
No Thank you!
At best I will become indifferent to them .. McBain HAS a soulmate and true love, Natalie, AND a son, Liam, and as long as they in Llanview and McBain is NOT, I will hate McBain and be disappointed in how he has treated his family. If GH wanted Jolie fans to root for McBam, they should have brought ME on as Caleb or some other character.
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!
Oh happy, happy day!!!! You finally came!!
All the best to Steve and his family!
And THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know I’m in the minority, but have not liked Jason ever since the accident that changed him into someone else (a hit man). Never thought I’d see this day but since Steve has made this decision and is happy, so am I. It will be good for the show, shake things up. Sonny might have to back his up his big mouth and actually shoot someone himself. lol
I wouldn’t be sure that you are in the minority anymore. Maybe a while back, but these days there are at least as many people who are bored or disgusted by the character and the whole mob thing as there are fans of it – and him. GH lost a great deal of viewers when it became – and stayed – the Sonny and Jason Hour. Also, his performances have been lackluster and one-dimensional for a long time. I hope they either recast and redeem this character or bring back AJ.
And Steve Burton has some rebuilding of his own to do. This is the same guy who pushed Monavie, that horrid pyramid scheme and used soap fans to do it.
Good to know I’m not the only one who did not care for Jason after the accident.
OMG what sad news..understand he needs time with his kids.Maybe he should have been taking those longggg vacations that Tony Geary would take.. Anyway replacing him with another actor is totally crazy so..why not slide him out with SAM and have SHAWN Butler take over his duties.. He looks and acts the part already. MAYBE they could replace him with a wonderful new TED KING from OLTL..he was good. It will be sad seeing him go, almost as bad as watching Alan Q die. SAd sad news…
Ted King was on GH before OLTL, played twins… it would be odd to replace Steve for Ted, and the twins he played died onscreen
sarah brown played carly & then came back & played claudia zaccara ………that was odd but it happened so anything is possible on a soap.
Good luck to Steve Burton! 21 years is a long time and TN sounds quite nice. If Kelly is sticking around then I hope this means Sam & McBain can move forward!! Lots of chemistry there 🙂
This is sad disappointing news for GH fans. I really enjoyed Steve Burton and Jason Morgan for a long time. Good luck, Burtons! Life is about change and moving in new directions, not unlike classic daytime drama.
As sorry as I am to see Steve go, he deserves to have time with his family and to do other projects just like all of Us would want to do. I wishes him all the best, hopefully GH won’t have his character be killed so he may visit GH some day in the future.
Good Luck to you Steve…..everyone has the right to change it up for themselves, and do what’s going to make them the happiest. I’m getting ready to make a move myself, and throw myself into a direction that I have been dreaming and talking about forever, so I understand how he feels. Sad to see him go, but I wish him and his family the best. I’ve heard they have some great BBQ out in Tennessee…LOL
Sounds like he’s making the decisions for all the right reasons. He’ll be missed, but we’ve been lucky to have him around as long as we have. How many of us have been at our jobs for 21 years?
I hope Steve gets back into movies. He deserves to make the change with his family and move on to new adventures.
I was very surprised to hear the news that Steve Burton is leaving GH. Guess those rumors never reached me or my Twitter. LOL. Gonna be weird without Jason on GH.
Just hope they leave his exit storyline open ended so he can come back if he wishes.
Hate that Jason & Sam and Baby Morgan won’t get to be a happy family! 🙁
Good luck to Steve and his real life family in Tennessee.
One thing I would like to add is at least give us a goodbye scene with Monica & Edward please!!!
I agree!
Are they leaving? I hope not and I wish they would write more scenes with them.
No Rose but they are not being used at all so I was hoping they might bring them on for proper scenes.
He is my fave and I am so sad to have him leaving GH!!! However he is one of the best guys all around and I wish him the best and if this is what he wants… I wish only good things for him. FV and RC please don’t kill him off so if he ever wants to come back for however long we can get him back! Good luck Steve… and be happy!
Whatever will Spinelli do without his friend and mentor. Good luck Steve!!
Wow! Steve is such a big part of GH. GH without Sonny/Jason team. 🙁 Interesting he wants to take his young family and leave the state. Big lifestyle change. He seems to have planned this out for a long time and if everything came in place for him -great.
Good luck Steve Burton and family on your new adventure. But I will miss seeing him on GH.
Sad news but life goes on. I for one have no issue with Sam and John. Kelly Monaco and Michael Easton have great chemistry, that was evident from the first scene they did together.
Best to you and your family Steve…enjoy what lifes journey comes your way next. Sorry but I will not watch anything your in with Franco..ick!
I am not going to be selfish like some of my fellow fans and complain that he is ruining the pairing of Jason and Sam. Boo Hoo! It’s REAL life, people. Get over it. The rest is scripted.
All I am going to say is BEST OF LUCK to Steve and his family. It is so nice (and so rare) to see someone put FAMILY first! I applaud him for that.
Some of you fans may be too young to understand what it is like to have young kids and want to get out of the rat race that IS Los Angeles. I am with Steve. I cannot wait until my husband can get a job back in upstate New York so my kids don’t have to go to school (and learn how to drive) out here in Los Angeles. Steve is doing what is best for his mental health and his family’s happiness and I wish him all the luck in the world.
I totally agree with you Christine. Some people need to grow up. Steve is wonderful but he’s not ruining GH by leaving. Mourn the departure and get over it. Steve would not want his fans to leave GH just because he is.
I pretty much agree with the comments; Steve will be missed so much on GH but he defintely needs to do what’s right for him personaly (and his family). Soaps are notoriously famous for bringing characters back that we were all sure we’d never see again (can anyone say Duke Lavery?). So, I will miss him a lot, wish him & fam nothing but good and will look forward to seeing him in new (and old) projects!
I think it is great that he is pursuing other things and sticking by his family values… and I am not closed to a recast… wasn’t Sean Kanan (the original AJ) left go from Y&R recently? That wouldn’t be a bad replacement, they have similar features and most people remember Billy Warlock in the AJ role more than Sean anyway…
Thats because Sean and Steve are related.
But I will definately miss Steve/Jason on GH.
Good luck to you and your family.
they are related by marriage, not blood… so they don’t share and DNA that would make them look alike… but I still think it would be a good tradeoff….
Liz and Krys, I always forget that! It’s funny how they have the same mannerisms.
I was thinking the same thing, Krys. After Sean Kanan’s latest stint on Y&R, I saw how much of the strong and silent type he was. He could do the job … should that be the route they take. I think they should just have Jason turn State’s evidence against someone and send him into witness protection or have him go and travel the world again. Just my two cents. 🙂
I like the witness protection idea – gives him an in to come back or if they do the world traveler thing he could make guest appearances like he did in 2000… They need to do something to keep the Q’s alive… maybe Jerry and Duke have Emily and Alan hiding out somewhere too??? They could always say that Emily was programmed to think she was a twin named Rebecca??
I know. Killing of Emily and Alan was a horrible thing to do. Hopefully they will fix this. 🙂
OMG. just saw this… have to process.
scanned down the posts…. someone said… his heart was not in it…
I agree to a certain extent…..
had the writing been better….. I don’t know….
thankfully.. we have this site to commiserate the state of our genre.
His brain hasn’t been in it for about 12 years. He is just phoning it in. He hated that Michael Easton has come aboard.
I’m thrilled Steve is finally doing what he wanted to do for his family. Moving to TN is what he has been wanting to do. To settle his family there. I wish he and his family many blessings on their futures.
Okay so we received some very sad news today-Steve Burton has decided to leave GH. GH can and will survive. Steve would be the first one to ask his fans to continue to watch GH and stay a loyal fan. I for one will miss Steve very much but I will never turn my back on GH. The show must go on
Very well said. Thank you.
Steve will be greatly missed and I wish him the very best of luck,love and happiness to him and his wife and kids! Family is the most important thing in life! Steve and Maurice are the stars of GH he will be truely missed and I grew up watching GH I just hope their ratings don’t go down with his departure! Best of luck and put your Facebook page back up so we can all see how you are doing!!
I was hoping for a JaSam & baby HEA. I hope they don’t kill him off in case he wants to come back someday. I really can’t imagine a recast of Jason at this point.
I am not a McBam fan, but could see a Jolie v. McBam triangle.
Wishing Steve Burton and his family all the best. His fans will miss him, but it sounds like he has some great things in the works.
Such sad news for us fans but am happy for Steve. I just hope FV and RC don’t kill Jason. Monica has lost too many family members. Let’s hope Jason just leaves Port Charles and eventually returns.
I would treat Jason Morgan and Bo Brady the same way. Both should be shot and left in a coma in a hospital somewhere. Neither character can be recast. This way their absences are plausible, and the story can be picked up from that point if the actors return someday.
Both actors have chosen to leave to spend more time with their young children. Who can fault either one for that? I suspect that both actors are also bored by their repetitive storylines. Who could fault them for that either?
Well good for him. 21 years is a damn good run.
It would be cool for him to confront as many “ghosts” as possible. Alan, etc…. Bring them all back for the 50th!
I’m honestly not upset by this at all. Jason has been on a downward spiral. Wish they would’ve done him off when they was the hope of Jason Quartermaine coming back.
Wow! Well he and Jason willl be sorely missed ! I wish him all the luck in the world! Great he was able to sell his house so fast — that’s good news for real estate watchers.
I did cringe when he said ‘James Franco’ think the rest of us got sick of JF on GH to want to avoid him for a while! ha!
I do hope that Jason will be on GH long enough to find the truth about Robin – maybe see her, talk to her, save her??
hope he isn’t killed off either
I agree with Christy and most all who posted, that Jason/Steve Burton will be sorely missed, but I wish he and his family the best, and I look forward to his future endeavors. While it would be nice to see Jason find out the truth about Robin, I find it much more important that he find out that he is the father of Sam’s baby, and that the baby is alive and well. I am sure TPTB will wrap that storyline up prior to his leaving, but I so wanted to see Sam and Jason living as happily ever after as soap characters can. Jason is so involved in so many storylines (Jason/Sam, Jason/Elizabeth, Jason/Spinelli, Jason/Carly, Jason/Sonny, and the latest Jason/John McBain), and I love them all, so it will be hard to not see him there any longer, but Steve is certainly entitled to do what is best for he and his family, just as we all are. I just hope that they do not kill him off. There has been enough sadness , and his dying would really be a tear-jerker that I, for one, do not want to transpire. I am sure FV and RC will make the exit work. Again, I wish Steve and his family the best of luck and much happiness always. I have certainly enjoyed spending an hour with him each week day for the better part of the last 21 years.
I will also miss the Jason/Michael storyline.
he will be missed but now maybe they will sign Ingo to contract.Jax makes Carly more likable and Liz can hook up with Patrick til Robin comes back.GH needs to get away from the mob violence thats why McBain is such a good fit.What happens to Spinelli now
Not the best actor in daytime, but not bad to look at. Time for him and Maurice to go and give GH a new focus.
Talented as I think Steve Burton is, I have to say that I think this will eventually work to GH’s advantage. The show needs to move away from stories involving the mob–far, far, FAR away–and that will be very difficult to do as long as Jason and Sonny are major characters. With Burton gone, moving in that direction will at least be easier.
I am really not surprised by the news. Just by reading his twitter you can tell he’d been wanting to go for awhile. Being with his family out of LA is probably best for him and his family. I will miss him on GH but I am sure any actor will want new material and do different things.
All the best Steve, you are awesome. I will miss you on GH !!! I named my my puppy Morgan after your character! God Bless you and your family!!!
this is so dissappointing, all those years wasted by the producers past and current who thought they had the luxury of him being there forever, now we will never see a full storyline with jason and Liz. hope they learn their lesson. this really sucks…
Having moved to the west coast myself from the Midwest seven years ago, I totally applaud Steve’s decision and wish him the best. As far as GH goes, I sort of wish they could have “righted” the wrong (in my own humble opinion) of having him become a mobster hit man and returned him to the Jason I knew and loved back in the early to mid 90’s. They had a perfect opportunity to do this recently when he had his brain issues.
He would make a GREAT Nicholas Newman!!!
I like the current Nick Newman just fine and I don’t think Josh Morrow is going anywhere.
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 16, respectively.
The full reveal on Tuesday follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.
Photo: CBS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.
Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories and congratulations to all!
Photo: JPI
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273
So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award nominations kicked-off on Monday with the announcements of four major categories including, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and among the nominees is General Hospital’s Steve Burton (Jason Morgan).
Burton is already a two-time Daytime Emmy winner in the Supporting Actor category for his roles as GH’s Jason and his turn as Dylan McAvoy on Y&R. However, Steve is yet to win in the Lead Actor category and he has received 11 nominations along the way in his daytime career.
Following the reveal that he is a 2026 Daytime Emmy nominee, he and his GH co-star, podcast co-host and comedy show partner, Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) taped a special edition of their That’s Awesome podcast just featuring Burton’s reaction to the news.
Photo: JPI
FOR LESLIE CHARLESON
Steve expressed, “I know it’s such a cliche to say, ‘I’m just so honored to be nominated.’ But truly, I’m so grateful to be nominated, so grateful to just be on the show off and on for 30 plus years and to be nominated with the guys in my category. Just to get the opportunity. Frank (Valentini, executive producer, GH) texted me right away. I was just like, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to get to do what I do.'”
Taking in the moment, Burton thanked those who helped him select the material for his nominated reel. “Unless you win, you don’t get to say things. So. I’m going just say a few things: Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) helped me a lot with the material, (as did) Michelle Henry, who’s a producer on the show, Laura Wright (Carly, GH), and then my wife Michelle (Lundstrom). I believe it was Jill Phelps who told me that when A Martinez felt like he had a great show or great scenes, he would mark it down. So, when Emmy time comes, you have all the show numbers written down, and you don’t have to think about it, because that’s half the battle (finding the material).
Burton explained how meaningful this nomination is for him, because of playing the scenes of Jason losing Monica, and his closeness with the late, great Leslie Charleson.
“The nomination’s an amazing thing, and it’s beautiful, but really it’s to honor Leslie Charleson. A lot of my material was because of her, and how I started on the show as a Quartermaine, it just means a ton,” shared Burton. “Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) has obviously has been instrumental, and I’ve said it from day one and I’ll shout it from the rooftops. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, and to be working with the people that we work with is incredible.”
Photo: JPI
SHOULD JOHN OLIVER BE NAMED HOST OF THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
During the end of his conversation with Anderson, Steve suggested that the host of the Daytime Emmy should be Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver, who recently guest starred as the head of the WSB named Z on General Hospital, and is soon to show up on Days of Our Lives in a mystery role in August.
Thus far, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has not revealed their host for the upcoming ceremony to be held on October 30 in a venue to be named in Hollywood, California.
You can watch Steve sharing his reaction to receiving his 2026 Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination below on a special segment on the That’s Awesome podcast.
Now let us know, are you glad that Steve chose scenes surrounding Jason mourning the loss of the woman that raised him, Monica Quartermaine for his Emmy reel? What do you think of John Oliver as a suggestion to host the Daytime Emmys? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
General Hospital’s 16,000th episode was packed with little reminders through points in today’s script that the ABC daytime drama series has set another milestone and it paved the way for the return of fan favorite and newly nominated Daytime Emmy Lead Actor nominee Steve Burton (Jason Morgan). The 16,000th episode also introduced viewers to the new surgeon in Port Charles Dr. Tristan Roberts played by Dean Geyer.
Here are the key takeaways and what went down on the July 13 episode: Tristan and Jason are seated next to each other on a plane heading to Port Charles. Throughout the flight, a beaten up Jason has flashbacks to being thrown into, and being held captive in a cell and tortured. It appears Jason is suffering from some form of PTSD from what he was put through after being dragged out of Port Charles by the WSB months ago.
As the plane prepares to land, Tristan tells Jason there would be a car waiting for him once they land and to enjoy the rest of his life. Later, Tristan arrives at the nurses and doctors hub at GH and approaches Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst). He tells her his name and that he is the new surgeon on staff.
Photo: ABC
A REUNION PLUS A HEAD NURSE DEFENDS SONNY
Meanwhile, at the end of the episode, Jason is outside the Quartermaine boathouse looking bewildered when he runs into Danny (Asher Antonyzyn), who is so thrilled to see his father, and the two hugs each other as tears are shed.
Elsewhere, Elizabeth tells Sonny (Maurice Benard) that he thinks its a great idea for him to get the 16th seat on the hospital board, but when it comes times to convince Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) of that, things go awry when Tracy, Laura and Sonny try to work things out. After Tracy launches into Sonny about killing Alan and Monica’s son AJ, Sonny walks away dejected.
Next, Sonny runs into Elizabeth, where he informs her what happened with Tracy. So what’s a head nurse to do? Elizabeth marches into the conference room and reminds Tracy of all the different donations and ways Sonny has contributed to the hospital from the Stone Cates AIDS wing, to the Michael Corinthos Center for Pediatric Head Injuries as well as his constant support each year for the GH Nurses’ Ball.
Courtesy/ABC
WSB WAR SCARS
Then, in one of the best parts for longtime fans of the series, Elizabeth talks about her legendary grandparents, Audrey and Steve Hardy and she tells Tracy they would have wanted Sonny to have a seat on the board for all the good that he has done for the hospital. After Elizabeth states Sonny’s case, things took a turn and Tracy and Sonny wound up shaking hands as Sonny is board member #16.
In the how great was it to see Anna (Finola Hughes) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) together scenes department, the pick-up of last Friday’s cliffhanger is played out as the two former lovers fill each other in on what has gone down in their lives in the last several months including Valentin admitting he had been living in Carly’s attic, and Anna realizing she was kidnapped by Cullum, Sidwell and Cassius Faison. During their conversation, Anna sees the hallucination of Peter August (Wes Ramsey) right while Valentin is standing there.
Courtesy/ABC
Later Anna was on her way to saying goodbye to Valentin, when the two share an emotional hug. After Valentin made his exit, Peter reappeared and warned Anna to not let Valentin distract her because she has important work to do. Anna answers, “I know.”
So, what did you think of General Hospital’s 16,000 episode? What do you think is wrong with Jason? What is the important “work” that Anna has to do? Were you glad to see Sonny get a seat on the hospital board, or not so much. Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out the scenes on Jason and Tristan’s long flight to Port Charles.
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
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