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GH’s Kelly Thiebaud Talks on Why Britt is So ‘Britchy’ Since Her Return, Ryan Paevey, and the Stall on a Romance with Jason (Exclusive)

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: JPI

Since July, Kelly Thiebaud’s on-screen return as a very much alive Dr. Britt Westbourne has kicked-off a new mystery story that not only involves Britt coming back from the dead, but so too, her brother, Nathan West (Ryan Paevey).

The Daytime Emmy winner, having won the gold for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 2022, exited the series in January of 2023. Fast forward, and the character has a new lease on life. This latest version of Britt, seems to be in remission from her Huntington’s disease diagnosis, or is she? What are the mysterious vials of medication sent to her by “C” which she has been injecting?

The GH writers teased fans that they were going with the romantic pairing of Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt, after all it was Jason who saved her while she was at the Five Poppies Resort in Croatia as the lab she was working in blew up. However, at present, Jason and Britt haven’t been able to move their feelings forward. So, what gives?

Photo: ABC

Michael Fairman TV had the opportunity to go straight to the source when we caught up with Kelly on the red carpet at the 52nd annual Daytime Emmy Awards and here’s what she had to say about the bullet-points in Britt’s current comeback.

BRITCHY AS THEY COME

When Britt left the canvas in 2023, presumably being poisoned by the Hook serial killer (Heather Webber), she had mellowed and showed more heart, and appeared more openly available emotionally. Now, it seems the present GH writing regime changed course.

Kelly explains, “It’s hard. I fight every day. I go to work and try to make her less ‘Britchy.’ But I will say this, and what I’ve kind of come to terms with, everyone else in Port Charles thinks that she’s a bitch. So, I think Brit is now having the attitude of like, ‘Well just screw it. I’m gonna lean into this. You don’t like me. You think I’m awful. Alright, fine. I’m gonna be that.’ It’s also a protective mechanism for her. You know, there’s only one person who’s really seen that vulnerable side to her and that’s Jason.”

As to if Thiebaud thinks there’s a chance that down the line, that Britt will return to her emotional self pre-Hook, she shared, “If they write it, I serve it. I’m just trying to reel it in. Sometimes, I do miss that old Britt where we got her to a place before I left (the show in 2023). We’ll get back there. It’s a new version of me and the character. So it’s exciting.”

Photo: ABC

RYAN’S PAEVEY’S RETURN MADE HER JAW HIT THE FLOOR

Recently, GH shocked the soap world, when it was revealed that Ryan Paevey was returning to the so7 years after he had been killed-off the show as good guy cop, Detective Nathan West, who was Britt’s brother. When Paevey returned on-screen back in September, it appears he is indeed playing a very much alive Nathan who can’t remember the last 7 years of his life, or is he? When Britt saw her brother in the hospital for the first time, she didn’t look overjoyed or shocked. So what’s the story?

Thiebaud recalled, “Before I came back, I had a conversation with the writers and with Frank (Valentini, EP, General Hospital) about how they were going to do this. And when they mentioned Ryan’s name, literally my jaw fell to the floor. I was like, ‘What? Wow. I didn’t even think of this. This is brilliant.’  t’s brilliant, how they’re doing it, and why they’re doing it. The story that’s going to be told is going to be great. There’s a lot of juicy stuff for us to play.”

Photo: ABC

MOTHER/DAUGHTER FALLOUT

One of the highly-anticipated scenes upon Kelly’s return, was when a very much alive Britt came face to face with her mutter, Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati). When Britt offered her mother a lame excuse for not contacting her, and avoiding telling her any more details of where she had , Liesl hauled off and slapped her daughter for letting her grieve for over two years!

Kelly opened up about taping the moments between mother and daughter: “Those scenes were so hard to shoot. Both Kathleen and I were deeply affected days after shooting them,” she recalled. “Obviously when it’s edited together, it’s a different experience when you watch it from when you actually perform it. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, my God. I did too much. I showed too ugly of a side. I should have done it differently.’ In the end I did it how I did it and  I think it was perfect for the situation, but it was really hard to do.”

Photo: JPI

IS THERE HOPE FOR A ROMANCE BETWEEN BRITT AND JASON?

GH fans thought that once Jason found Britt and rescued her, she would be more inclined to give the guy a chance, and get out of her own way about his previous feelings for Carly (Laura Wright), when it’s clear he truly cares about Britt. However, it seems like the GH writers have put on the brakes about a Jason and Britt romance for now, or have they?

First, Kelly explained, “Steve (Burton) is wonderful, I love working with him. I know it’s a long game and I don’t think it’s a focus right now for the writers, for those two characters, but I also know they want to draw it out for the audience. I think there’s still a story to tell there. I think there’s still love there. We’ll see.”

Watch our conversation with Kelly from the 52nd annual Daytime Emmy Awards now on the Michael Fairman Channel, along with several interviews with the stars of General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless on daytime’s biggest night of the year here.

Now let us know, do you want to see Britt less “Britchy?” What do you think is going on with Nathan West that Britt knows about? Do you want a Jason and Britt romance to kick-off sooner than later? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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I wish actors would stop analyzing their character’s motivations and actions. Laura Wright has been doing this for years. If it’s well written and well played, the actors don’t need to explain. It’s like a writer analyzing their own writing or a comic explaining their own joke. Leave it to the viewers to figure it out.

I’m sure it is difficult for the actors since they don’t film their scenes in order. As Kelly said, it bothered her that she went too far with her scenes with Leisl, but the show spliced the scenes together to make it make sense. I see it that you have actors who care so much about the story, their acting style, etc.

Yeah but they don’t need to explain this to viewers. We’re not stupid, and we get context cues, foreshadowing and rising action. No need to explain.

This should really be our worst problem in life.

I knew with Jason and Britt that it would be a slow burn and that it wasn’t going to be immediate and it shouldn’t be.

Jason & Britch have already flopped. They need to move on & put her with Drew. They would be a match made in hell

General Hospital

Chris McKenna Reportedly Out as ‘General Hospital’s’ Jack Brennan

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Chris McKenna

As ABC’s General Hospital continues to make casting additions in front of the camera; a new report indicates that Chris McKenna is the next contract player to be written out of the show as his storyline as Port Charles WSB bureau chief, Jack Brennan, is coming to end this fall.

According to sources close to the situation, who informed Soap Opera Network, McKenna will exit the long-running soap opera when Jack is killed-off the canvas. The outlet shares, Brennan’s death will come about as the soap, “leans heavily into storylines surrounding the World Security Bureau (WSB).”

McKenna, who previously appeared on the soaps when he was 12 as a young Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live from 1990-1993, then as an adult as Mark Harding on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2015, and next on The Bold and the Beautiful in the short term role of Dr. Hayden,  began his run as GH’s Brennan back in February of 2025, replacing Charles Mesure in the role.

Chris McKenna

Photo: ABC

JACK’S ROCKY ROAD TO ROMANCE

In fact, McKenna won the part over Daniel Goddard and Daniel Cosgrove, who eventually were cast in other roles on General Hospital, that of Henry Dalton and Ezra Boyle, respectively. Chris informed his fans via X,  back in August of 2025, that he was put on contract at the daytime drama and thanked them for helping make it happen.

Chris told Michael Fairman TV how it was to step into the role previously played by Charles Mesure, “I knew the challenge it was going to be and I had a like 0nly five days to get my head around it, so I was ready for it. Sure, it was challenging, but I was up for it. I was a recast before on The Young and the Restless.”

On-screen, Jack became romantically involved with Carly Spencer (Laura Wright), but that went bust when Carly learned Jack was not up front with her and had secretly enlisted her daughter, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) to join the WSB.  Over months, Carly plotted to get revenge on Jack, and suddenly, Valentin Casssadine (James Patrick Stuart), Jack’s mortal enemy, came into the picture and he had fallen for Carly and she for him.

Now, Jack has started up a relationship with Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) and has found himself in situations stooping to lows to help Nina and her criminal daughter, Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) out of jams, especially where Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) is concerned.

Erika Slezak, Chris McKenna

Photo: ABC

REUNITING WITH ERIKA SLEZAK

Last fall, Chris got a thrill of a lifetime when his OG on-screen mother from One Life to Live, the iconic Erika Slezak (ex-Viki) took on a guest role on General Hospital as Ronnie Bard, the secret sister of Monica Quartermaine (the late Leslie Charleson). While the two did not have a storyline together, Chris did share some tender moments reconnecting with Erika on the set,

McKenna has a laundry list of primetime credits including: State of Affairs, Good Trouble, Lucifer and Castle, where in an ironic twist he appeared alongside another Joey Buchanan none other than Nathan Fillion.

So, how do you feel if the report holds true and GH is killing off Brennan and Chris McKenna would exit the show? How do you think Brennan will die on GH? Will he be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and someone will take him out? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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General Hospital

Ryan Paevey Open to Return to ‘General Hospital’ to ‘Stir the Pot if Cassius Could be a Good Agent of Chaos’

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Ryan Paevey

On General Hospital, Ryan Paevey wrapped his comeback to General Hospital on the July 6 episode, when it was revealed that Cassius Faison was not dead, but being held by the WSB thanks to Z (John Oliver).

It was Z who gave Cassius an ultimatum: a one-way ticket to prison or a death sentence, or to become an agent himself! We never got the answer on-screen, but suffice to say, Cassius is still out there somewhere, but we can assume he is working for the WSB.

GH fans were thrilled to see Paevey back on the ABC daytime drama series where he initially played the very popular Detective Nathan West from 2013-2018. It had been over 7 years until Ryan made a return to his former soap stomping grounds when on-screen in September of 2025, he arrived in Port Charles as a very much alive Nathan, who was actually Cassius impersonating his late twin brother.

Photo: ABC

Over this past weekend, Paevey appeared at the annual GH Fan Club Weekend in Burbank, California, where according to a report from Soap Central who was on the scene; when a fan asked Ryan if he would make another visit to the soap opera in the future, he explained, “That’s a ‘Frank Chat,’ referencing a discussion would need to be had with Frank Valentini, GH’s executive producer.

A CASSIUS FAISON SIGHTING ANYTIME SOON?

Ryan also added, “I’m a bit of a drifter. So, I’m not sure that I want to go back and sign forever. Doing so took a lot of things out of my life, stuff that is valuable to me.” Paevey also explained while he was away from GH he was caretaker to his parents and working on his Fortunate Wanderer jewelry business and more.

However, Paevey concluded his thoughts on the matter with, “But, yeah, I would come back and stir the pot if Cassius could be a good agent of chaos… a conversation might be had with Frank about exactly what ‘not dead’ means.”

All this to say, would you like to see Ryan make another comeback to General Hospital? This time as WSB agent Cassius Faison? Do you think he would help out his sister, Britt and his mutter, and even Josslyn, if they got into serious future trouble? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Christian Howard Makes One Final Return as Ethan Lovett, as Hudson Learns Damning Intel

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The Tuesday, August 4 episode of General Hospital brought with it another appearance by Christian Howard in the role of Ethan Lovett. As previously reported, Howard was brought into wrap up Ethan’s storyline as Nathan Dean’s four-month run with the show came to its conclusion.

Now, it has been 100% officially confirmed that today was the last episode of Howard as the recast Ethan. In story, Ethan was now seen in Oslo, Norway after hightailing it out of Port Charles after Hudson (Troy Lennon Appel) had showed up looking for him at the Metro Court pool in Port Charles.

On the July 31st episode, Ethan made a beeline to Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) grabbed his bags and headed out of the country without saying goodbye to Ava (Maura West), who he just had spent the night with.

Christian Howard

Courtesy/ABC

However, on Tuesday’s GH, it was also the day where Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) finalized baby Phoebe’s adoption for Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard). This was juxtaposed with the action in Oslo where Hudson showed up at Ethan’s hotel room door. He demanded immediate answers about Delilah and the baby. Ethan told him that both Delilah and the baby she carried died.

ETHAN’S LIES CATCH UP TO HIM

Hudson is livid. The two get into multiple altercations with Hudson getting the upper hand claiming that Ethan is a thief, who had “stolen from the wrong man.” At that point, Hudson delivered a beatdown on Ethan. Next, he threatened Ethan that he will go after his entire family if he finds out he was lying to him.

Back in Port Charles at the Metro Court pool, Ava is lamenting about Ethan’s sudden disappearance to Trina (Tabyana Ali). Later alone, she gets a call from Ethan telling her to never reveal that he’s not Phoebe’s biological father. Cut to: Hudson out in the hotel hallway listening in on the call through a bug he planted in Ethan’s hotel room. Hudson then takes off. The final moment of Ethan’s is him sprawled out bloody on top of the hotel bed.

A GH rep told Soap Opera Digest that “the door is open for Ethan to return to Port Charles” in the future. And as previously reported by TV Insider, when Nathan Dean signed on for his four month return, it was due in part to that he and his wife announced back in March they were expecting a baby.

So, now that Christian Howard has officially exited the series marking the end of the story for now of Ethan Lovett, what are your thoughts? Obviously, we will look for Hudson to return to Port Charles and infiltrate the Quartermaines lives especially Brook Lynn and Chase to get close to Phoebe, and then there is Ava, who may be in terrible danger, or is she? Share your thoughts and theories.

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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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