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Steve Burton Announces He’s Taking a Break from ‘General Hospital’

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: ABC/SBurtoncom

General Hospital star Steve Burton confirmed on February 10 that he has decided to step away from his role of Jason Morgan to focus on his family, but for a short hiatus.

Taking to his Instagram on Tuesday morning, the two-time Daytime Emmy winner explained, “Hey everyone, I wanted to share that I’ll be taking a short break from General Hospital. “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family. I’m grateful for all the support and will be back this summer. Much love.”

Burton cleverly chose the Simple Minds song, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” to accompany his Instagram message. As Burton’s fans know, he tied the knot with his lady love chef and content creator Michelle Lundstrom back on May 17, 2025.

Photo: ABC

Frank Valentini, the executive producer of General Hospital offered up this statement on Burton’s departure to Soap Opera Digest: “We love Steve and I am glad the show worked it out so he can get some personal time with his family. We have some great Jason story leading up to spring and look forward to his return in the summer.”

Burton taped his last episode for now on Friday, February 6. The show is set to go on a two-week hiatus. With GH taping several weeks ahead of air, viewers will still see Jason in the thick of his current story trying to save Anna (Finola Hughes) and Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and bring down Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) and Sidwell (Carlo Rota).

On Monday’s February 9 episode, Jason learned of Anna’s supposed mental breakdown and believes the WSB baddies have something to do with her condition. Meanwhile, Jason and Britt finally have become closer. Could something happen to Jason again, where he disappears off the canvas for several months, or could GH go by way of how they handled Kristen Storms temporary leave, when Maxie was put into a coma? In an ironic twist, as Kirsten Storms returns on-screen this week on February 12, we soon will say a temporary goodbye to Steve Burton.

COMING AND GOING FROM GENERAL HOSPITAL

This is not the first time Steve has left General Hospital. Having debuted back on 1991 as Jason Quartermaine during his initial run, when it came to signing a new contract in 1999, he decided not to sign on the dotted line at that time. He later came back full-time in May of 2002. Then, in 2012, he exited again and eventually made his way to The Young and the Restless to take on the role of Dylan McAvoy in 2013.  He later returned to GH in 2017, but wound up exiting again at the end of 2021, due to the Disney/ABC Covid vaccine policy that had been implemented.

After heading to Days of our Lives for a few years, when the dust settled with the Covid pandemic, Steve announced his comeback on the January 4, 2024 special General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars & Storytelling, and was first seen on air on March 4 of that year. He has stayed with the series since that time.

What are your thoughts on Steve Burton taking an extended break until this summer? What do you think, given his desire for some time away, they will do with the character of Jason Morgan? Will he disappear? Be injured? Something else? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

 

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Hope he has a great break. Maybe he will be caught in some cold fusion experiment and he is frozen in some unknown side affect… then he could re- emger with the same affect Nathan is in…

Since it appears they had some time to plan this, let’s hope the writers think of a clever way to usher Jason off the canvas. No coma (used too much recently) nor assumed death (been there, done that twice). Maybe something happens to Danny where Jason feels he needs to get him out of Port Charles for a while?

This also frees some money in Frank’s budget for 4 months. Use that to thoroughly rework some sets (MC dining room, Windermere).

Yes, exactly. No more comas or fake death. They need to come up with something more interesting.

keep it simple how bout Jason takes off with Danny to be with/Jake and spend sometime with his kids. Wasn’t Finola Hughes off for a while to ? they sure kept her off the air for a while with her kidnap saga, and is Jason gonna disappear for a while? does this mean this Faison storyline is winding down? I sure hope so,

Here we go again. Maybe he marries Britt and they take a long honeymoon.

Good! I will never miss him

Hopefully it’s nothing serious

Maybe the new wife wants a baby Baby making times

He could do that on a coffee break lol

I hope he’s pretaped some episodes, much like Finola Hughes did before her recent vacation, so his absence isn’t as bad as it could be.

Because we all saw what GH can turn into when Jason’s not around, like that toilet spiral of a show that existed from November 2021 – March 2024.

Hopefully they will come up with a viable reason for his absence, and not bother with another “presumed death” story, because nobody’s going to buy that again.

I hope he’s pretaped some episodes, much like Finola Hughes did before her recent vacation, so his absence isn’t as bad as it could be.

Given everything I have read online today, it sounds like this is what’s been done. Because, otherwise, other storylines would pause.

Let’s hope they had him pre-tape material so his absence won’t be so noticeable. I really hope they aren’t going with the missing and presumed dead gag again.

We’ll likely see Jason on screen through the end of March or first week of April as Burton’s last tape day was last Friday (2/6).

Frank or Steve would’ve mentioned pre-taping. Burton’s 2-year contract ends next month (he returned in March 2024). Similar to Kirsten Storms, he’ll likely be off-contract until his return in the summer, thus saving on the show’s production budget.

Good we can see more of Fizz instead!

Please…NO Coma….NO death…NO hostage holding. Please just don’t show him for a while. There are many characters on GH to fill the airtime. Please don’t waste out time with one of these stupid types of stories where we know the end game already. Let him enjoy his time with his family and allow us to continue GH’s story without being insulted by a lame exit.

I am so happy for Steve and his family ! He is a newlywed, let him enjoy it !! Nothing is more important than family. Everything else can be replaced !! See you in the summer ☀️

Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 15

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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 15, respectively.

General Hospital was next with 13 overall nominations, followed by Days of our Lives with 8 and The Bold and the Beautiful with 7 nods. 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 are set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California. The ceremony is currently planned to stream via watch.theemmys.tv and its associated apps. For the second year in a row, both the main Emmys and the Creative Arts will be presented together in one night.

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. 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

Photo: ABC

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

Photo: ABC

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

Photo: CBS

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

Photo: ABC

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

Photo: WBTV

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”

Photo: CBS

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

Outstanding Costume Design / Styling for a Daytime Program

The Jennifer Hudson Show, Episode 4140
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Young and the Restless Episode 13149
The Young and the Restless Episode 13273

Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Live Daytime Program

The Bold and the Beautiful, Episode 9658
The Jennifer Hudson Show Episode 4039
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5007
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13260

Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates Episode 104
General Hospital Episode 15624
The Jennifer Hudson Show Episode 4010
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 6169
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”

Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design for a Daytime Program

The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Live with Kelly and Mark Episode 250414
The View Episode 6280
The Young and the Restless Episode 13145
The Young and the Restless Episode 13244

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.

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Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series

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Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.

ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.

Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.

Photo: NATAS

THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …

The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.

This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.

Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.

Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.

Photo: ABC

DAYTIME TALK SERIES

In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.

“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”

The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.

So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Breaking News

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor Drama Series

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Monday afternoon, Extra kicked-off the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations with the reveal of two major categories. First, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and second, Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host.

Previous Emmy winners all, the men who will be vying for daytime’s most coveted prize are: Eric Braeden (Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless, Steve Burton (Jason Morgan), General Hospital, Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful, Thorsten Kaye (Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Christian Jules Le Blanc (Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless.

Let’s take a look at the actors Emmy resumes: Eric Braeden has been nominated nine times for Lead Actor and won once in 1998. Steve Burton is a two-time Daytime Emmy winner, both in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category for GH as Jason Morgan and Y&R as Dylan McAvoy. Today’s nomination makes it his 10th overall, and his third time in the the Lead Actor category.

Photo: NATAS

Scott Clifton has won three times previously in 2011, 2013 and 2017 and has the distinction of being the only actor to win in Younger Actor, Supporting and Lead. This is his 8th nomination.

Thorsten Kaye is a two-time Lead Actor winner in 2023 and 2024. Christian LeBlanc has also won three times as Lead Actor in 2005, 2007 and 2009 and this is his first nod in over a decade.

Photo: NBCUniversal

TALK SHOW HOSTS

In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host, the nominees are: Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Ana Navarro, The View, Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall, Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and Sherri Shepherd, Sherri.

Both The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri have come to their conclusions as Sherri was canceled after 4 seasons and Kelly Clarkson decided to end her talk show after 7 seasons.

The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are set to be handed out in a ceremony on October 30 in Hollywood with more details forthcoming. The complete list of 2026 Daytime Emmy nominations will be revealed tomorrow on July 14 beginning at 12pm ET/9am PT via The Emmys.TV social channels and website.

So, what do you think of the race for Lead Actor in a Drama Series? Surprised by any of the nominees? Who are you rooting for? What do you think about the the talk show host category? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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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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