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Emma Samms Opens Up On the Challenges of Taping General Hospital While Battling Long COVID

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: EmmaSamms

General Hospital fans are anxiously awaiting the return of Emma Samms (Holly Sutton) to the ABC daytime drama series, that was originally slated to air on October 19th. However, with the preemption of today’s episode, Holly’s return to the canvas will be pushed back a day.

For Emma, returning to work has been something she has to be careful of, and manage, due to her ongoing bout with Long Covid-19.  According to PEOPLE.com, when Samms began taping new episodes of GH, she informed the producers that she had certain limitations.

Emma shared: “I told them if I stand still for too long, I might fall over. I might lose my voice if I talk too much. I sometimes sound gaspy.” She added, “I said, ‘Basically, think senior citizen and not a fit one. Just think in those terms when you are writing for me.'”

Since originally contracting Covid-19 in March of 2020, Emma is one of the millions worldwide who have suffered the more debilitating effects of Long Covid.

Photo:ABC

When she came back to Los Angeles from the UK for her month-long GH shoot, Emma shared:  “I had massive trepidation.” But the popular star noted: “I feel really lucky that people are willing to accommodate me in order for me to work. I feel desperately sorry for people who don’t have bosses who are as sympathetic.”  Speaking of being sympathetic and understanding, reportedly GH’s EP, Frank Valentini, gave Samms his parking spot near the ABC Prospect Studios; to help limit the amount of walking Emma would have to do.

In the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest on newsstands everywhere Friday, Tristan Rogers (Robert) shared on Samms’ return: “I didn’t think it would happen given her health.”  SOD also shared that Robert will be in for the shock of his life when he reunites with his ex-Holly, who is very much alive.

Emma’s husband, Simon McCoy, has been with the actress during filming of GH.  When they return to England, Samms revealed: “I’ve got nothing scheduled the month I get back, and I shall just recuperate.”

So, looking forward to seeing Emma back on GH? Share your thoughts via the comment section.

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Aww so cute together Holly and Robert back when I watched the show

Very classy moves by Frank Valentini!

Is she only returning for one month?

If those are recent pictures, she looks great, considering all she’s been through recently. She may feel like a “senior citizen” but damn sure doesn’t look like one.

Some idiotic rumors on other sites trying to say Holly’s the “hooker”. Don’t think she’s physically capable of pulling off that particular role, from her own description. Not to mention, she has no connections to any of the hooking victims.

I can’t quite understand why she is working at all regardless of accommodations being made for her. Covid is Covid.

She’s not contagious. She had the actual Covid infection back in March of 2020. She just happens to be among the unfortunate number of mortals who have suffered long term damage as a result of the virus. Nobody’s going to “catch” that from working with her.

No, all Covid is not the same. Long Covid is quite different from what the vast majority who get Covid experience. Those with long Covid cannot spread the virus. After suffering with this for a few years, kudos to Emma for trying get some normalcy back in her life.

Happy to see her back at GH and hope it wasn’t too much for her. Don’t know what the storyline will entail, but I hope it leaves room for more returns.

She is welcome back anytime she wants to come back… Or anytime the story dictitates it. She is legacy GH. Holly… And Emma always have a place in town.

Her health issues are caused by the “vaccines” … not by “long covid.” Why doesn’t she know this and why is she lying?

I will love to have the character back. She is always fun!

She got Long Covid way before any vaccine was even available. I too have Long Covid. And when I got the initial vaccination series, I actually felt better than I had since early 2020. Long Covid is something totally different than a negative reaction to the vaccine.

Yeah ok, “Daryl Licked”, cause you know more than the doctors and scientists that actually do this stuff for a living. Get out of here with the tinfoil hat conspiracy BS.

I got Covid in April 2020. This was a year before any vaccines were available. I never recovered. I suffer from symptoms every day. Some days I sleep for 16 hours other days I can not breath.

The only one lying here is YOU. She got Covid in March 2020. You know… the first month that 99% of the planet had any knowledge of the virus at all?

Vaccines… for whatever idiotic Q-Anus myth you want to believe about them – would not even exist until a year AFTER that. So unless she was borrowing Doc Brown’s DeLorean, it would be impossible for the vaccines to cause her problems.

If you wish to spread lies, there are plenty of other websites for you.

FACT
Emma caught Covid in March of 2020 and has had chronic symptoms since then.

FACT
The vaccines were not available until December 2020 for medical professionals and shortly thereafter for high risk individuals. Emma would have had her symptoms for at least 9 months before a vaccine was available.

FACT
The vaccines have saved lives and made those recipients who did catch Covid have milder cases.

A little education goes a long way.

Daryl, you seem to live in alternate universe and how dare you accuse Emma Samms of lying? Emma and her doctors are well versed and well educated on the profound effects of long term COViD. She’s suffered enough and is graciously visiting GH as a favor- she certainly doesn’t need the money.

She looks great.

I love RnH but I wonder if Tristan and Emma feel the same. Apparently, they had a bitter breakup in real life, and Emma said how hard it was doing kissing scenes after their relationship ended. I hope enough time has passed that they can work together without any animosity.

General Hospital

Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

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Maura West and Kelly Sullivan

It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.

The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.

Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.

Photo: JPI

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST

Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”

Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”

Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”

Photo: JPI

KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL

Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”

You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.

So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!

 

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General Hospital

Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

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Steve Burton

The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.

TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.

That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.

Steve Burton

Photo: ABC

STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES

GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.

Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).

Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.

GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS

Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.

Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.

Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.

So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?

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Jason and Britt

On the Friday, September 11 episode of General Hospital, Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship becomes strained to potentially the point of no return.

Things take a turn when an unglued Britt having been traumatized by almost being killed by Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) asks Jason to back her up with the PCPD when she reports Anna for attempted murder.

However, Jason told Britt, he can’t. Jason shares that he does not believe Anna would have gone through with shooting her. Therefore, Britt was not in any real imminent danger. Britt is flabbergasted and hurt that Jason is refusing to tell the police what he actually witnessed for himself on Mount Emerson.

Britt

Courtesy/ABC

BRITT WANTS BACK UP FROM JASON

Jason counters that he can’t believe that Britt would want Anna punished. or sent to prison, or a mental facility after the trauma she endured while being locked up and mentally tortured while at Wyndemere.

He asks Britt, “How could you even say that you want her locked up or prosecuted for what she did when you knew she was being held prisoner and you did nothing to save her?” Britt is stunned by Jason’s response.

Coming up, official General Hospital spoilers share that on the upcoming Monday, September 14 episode, Jason confides in Carly (Laura Wright), while Britt is stung. In the video preview that aired at the end of the Friday, September 11 episode for this coming Monday, Britt says to Jason, “You don’t believe me. Do you?”

General Hospital head scribes, Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte previously teased in their fall preview of the soap, “Britt and Jason have come a long way and fought a lot of enemies to be together. But the most stubborn obstacle to their happiness isn’t without, it’s within. Decisions Britt made to stay alive while under Cullum’s thumb will come back to haunt her and may prove too difficult for this unlikely couple to survive.”

So, what do you think will happen? Will Jason and Britt break-up over Britt’s lies and Jason’s unwillingness to report Anna’s crime against her? Do you want Jason and Britt to go their separate ways? If they do, will Britt become romantically involved with Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) ? If so, who do you pair Jason with? Anyone? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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