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‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud Speaks Out On Being Blindsided by Steve Burton’s Exit, ‘I Feel Let Down’

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: ABC

When Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud returned to General Hospital to reprise her role of Dr. Britt Westbourne, it was with the understanding that she would have the opportunity to work with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan), and continue what started as the beginning of a love story between Britt and Jason, before he left the show in 2021 due to the Disney/ABC Covid-19 vaccine mandate, and she exited the series in early 2023, after wanting to pursue other projects.

When they were finally both back at GH at the same time in 2025, the story of Britt’s back-from-the-dead story began to reveal itself and more recently, Britt finally let Jason get closer to her, and thus the romance was on track, although it has to be kept secret to protect both their lives.

Recently, Steve Burton announced his desire to take a break from GH. He wrapped his final scenes before his hiatus on February 6. As it stands now and as previously reported, Steve is planning on returning to the ABC soap opera at some point over the summer.

Photo: ABC

For the first time since Burton dropped the bombshell, Kelly Thiebaud is speaking out about it, on the latest episode of Maurice Benard’s State of Mind You Tube series which drops in full on Sunday, February 22.  In a preview clip released on Friday, Thiebaud shares her disappointment on Burton’s hiatus.

Kelly shared, “I was shocked when I found out. I was very shocked.” She went so far as to say that she “confronted’ her co-star about it, but he explained to her the reasons which included time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom who he married less than a year ago in May of 2025.

Understanding time away is important, especially since she made the decision to initially leave GH, due to the grind of soap, Kelly told Benard, “I know what that feels.” However, she added, “But the other side is I feel let down. I thought we had time together. It’s just been really hard.”

But in the end, she added she wants the utmost best for Steve: “He’s gotta go live his life, and I wish him nothing but the best. love Steve and I will miss him terribly, and I am sad. But, again, I understand that you’ve got to go when you feel the need to go.”

Watch Kelly and Maurice talk about Steve Burton’s current exit from General Hospital below.

Then, let us know, where do you think Britt’s story can go from here? Do you think when Steve returns, Jason and Britt will be back together? Share your thoughts on Kelly’s disappointment via the comment section below.

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I hope so I am huge Jason and britt pairing

They are the worst

Well, understand how Steve felt when she left the show….

I could be wrong, but he got fired before she left

“Shocked”? “Blindsided”? I realize she’s a soap actress but isn’t that being a tad overly dramatic? I understand she negotiated her return based on a romantic pairing with Jason but she ought to demonstrate a little more resilience and flexibility. Burton will be back and she’s in a front burner storyline. Kelly conveys a sense of entitlement which is a bit unbecoming.

I agree with you @harry. She needs to be more flexible and she is definitely sounding entitled. I was not excited to see her back on screen this time around when she was brought back from the dead. And really if she can’t give her co-star the space and time he clearly desires then what kind of person is she?

it is a bit confusing since he’s leaving temporarily and will be back, GH takes forever to unfold storylines anyways, look how long she’s been back and its taken for her storyline to play out, we’ve had to wait for months to see Maxie and Nathan “reunite ” and Where’s Finola Hughes? is she gone? her name is no longer in the Fridays closing credits, what’s going on there? GH is messy with continuity, its frustrating but it is what it is.

There’s been no official announcement (surprised at the soap press) but Finola was removed from the credits the Friday before – the same day Kirstin returned to the credits.

She’s let her contract expire before (around 2018) and came back a few months later.

It will be SO nice to have a break from the character of Jason. He can take ALL the time off he needs!

He was FIRED! He should be grateful they rehired him! Suck it up for a while! You’re affecting many people, nit just yourself. Entitled actor!

Yeah… we can always go back to “The Church of Parasite Nina” 5 days a week, every week until he comes back. You know, like they did from November 2021 – March 2024.

Because that was such “compelling television”, right?

Actually it worked out great for us down here in Hell. It was ready made material to torment the damned!

They have t.v. n hell?

Oh, cry me a river! Not everything is about her.

Well, as Olivia Soprano used to tell Tony, “ POOR YOU!”

I know I’m in the minority on this issue. How many times has Burton left GH? And, how many times has Jason been written out as dead or missing and presumed dead? Burton is getting almost as bad as Jackson. Either Burton wants this job or he doesn’t. I realize he has a family. So does everyone else and they somehow manage to have a family life, that’s what vacation is for, and fulfill their employment obligations. I feel that Jason is an important character. If Burton is tired of the grind of playing the character, he should resign and TPTB should recast. I certainly understand feeling like you’ve given everything you have to give to a particular job. Recasting is not the end of the world. Amanda Sutton is an excellent example. She has made Brook Lynn her own.

Burton’s probably going to be offscreen 4 months. That’s no big deal. Geary used to take 4 months off every year. It allowed the show to focus on other characters.

They tried the recast route with Miller and that didn’t turn out too well. Burton came back when his sweetheart deal with Y&R ended. No big name actor would sign on to play Jason knowing Burton could return.

Setton is great, but Brook Lynn was never a leading character and she didn’t replace someone who was on the show going back to the early 90s.

Yeah I immediately thought of Tony Geary also. He’s the one who invented long furloughs in exchange for his private life away from LA. I don’t feel bothered by Steve’s vacation nor by Kelly’s feelings. Both are understandable. I hope Kelly sticks around. She’s a wonderful talent.

It’s not about actors taking long breaks or furloughs that folks are objecting to, it’s Kelly’s whining that is so irritating. Saying you felt “ blindsided” or “let down” by a co worker’s personal decision is just plain silly and kind of makes her look self absorbed.

How many times has Kelly left the show? She has always come and gone. The last time she left she asked the writers to kill her off because she never wanted to return to GH. Maybe she should have stayed away. Kelly should be grateful to Steve for getting her her job back. Kelly said she tried to come back to GH when Steve first returned in 2024, but she claimed the show didn’t want back. Then last year Steve decided to bring Britt back as a love interest for Jason and asked Frank to bring Kelly back and he did. That’s the only reason she is on the show.

There are a lot of rumors floating around. Some fans thought she was mad and leaving GH again. One rumor is the show is not happy with the Jason and Britt reunion so they may pair him with someone else. Another is that Steve is taking a break to renegotiate his contract, which ends this year. Regardless, Kelly Thiebaud should be grateful to Steve Burton that she even has this job. This is why the actors should never pick their love interest or write their own stories.

Totally agree with you she has left like three times right? Shes not the star the show.

Many soap actors take extended breaks on an annual basis. Burton is hardly the first, and is far from the only GHer that does it. Jane Elliott, Finola Hughes, Genie Francis to name just a few. That doesn’t mean that they don’t want the job. It means that a soap actor’s work life is grueling, and an annual extended vacation is the way that they choose to deal with it. It’s inherent on the soap to decide if that performer is worth the inconvenience, and clearly GH believes that it is.

Recasts can work but not with him I don’t know why but it wouldn’t be the same. But he’s been on a long time let him take a break. I’m sure there is more to the story but she is sounding so whiny.

I don’t really care for her with Jason but gee he has the right to take some time off.

Oh brother! The self-pity is obnoxious

I could see if he was pronounced dead again but he is coming back over the summer. That’s just 5-6 months, not 5-6 years. I am sure everything will be fine till then. Soaps can be a lot and everyone needs some time off at some point.

I’m really confused about her speaking out on this issue. I didn’t need to know about them. He has his right just like she did and he said he’d be back in the summer. I like Jason and Britt together. Things will happen. Just chill.

Right. Can you imagine veteran GH actress Rebecca Herbst whining in public about how her character has been given very little airtime while giving Kelly Thieband front burner stories and a romantic pairing with the hot lead actor of her choice? But you never hear a complaint coming from her because she’s a grown up and a professional.

I think Britt & Jason are great together the push & pull chemistry I hope they have a love story when Steve returns -_-all the best & brightest & blessed life to Steve & his new wife

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Britt and Rocco Say Their Goodbyes, Then She Gets Arrested; Anna Reveals “Nathan West” is an Imposter

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On the Friday, June 26 episode of General Hospital, emotional moments, a new duo on the run, the end of the line for Britt and an eye-opening moment between Anna and Felicia were the order of the day. Let’s take a look at what went down, but first let’s give a round of applause for Kelly Thiebaud (Britt) and Finn Carr (Rocco) on their goodbye scenes.

In the story, Rocco insists to his parents, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Lulu (Alexa Havins) that he wouldn’t leave Tortola without Britt. Dante is getting impatient because Britt brought all the trouble in recent months to his son. They need to protect him and they can’t if he stays with Britt. Lulu tells Britt she is the only one who can do the right thing, right now.

Britt explained it is too dangerous for Rocco to stay with her. She was very selfish and made a lot of terrible decisions along the way and Cullum is tracking her down because she did not finish the project he enlisted her for. She convinces Rocco to go with his parents and gives him a little token of something that reminded her of when he was a baby which is a bottle to blow bubbles with.

Courtesy/ABC

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Rocco makes Britt promise to take her medication to ward off her Huntington’s disease symptoms and to keep changing locations so she is not caught. The two share a final hug as both are in tears. Dante makes a call. While in the car ready to leave Britt behind, Rocco says he will never forgive himself is something happened to Britt.

Back inside, Britt is ready to inject herself with her medication but is unaware that Cullum has now tainted it with poison! But she is saved from that, when two police officers burst through the door for kidnapping! Did Dante call the police? Is he doing this to keep her safe or to pay her back?

Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) arrives at Crimson, completely unaware that the man in the elevator is following her. Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Charlotte have an argument about Willow (Katelyn MacMullen). Suddenly, Willow calls her mother that she is being questioned by the PCPD and as she learns is a suspect for being the other driver that left Jordan and Curtis injured by the side of the road on Route 91.

ARRIVALS AND DESTINATIONS IN QUESTION

Chase (Josh Swickard) comes to Willow’s rescue much to Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Justine’s (Nazneen Contractor) chagrin. Willow learns Lucy  and Drew are the supposed witnesses against her. Chase figures out when Joe (Jonathan Bennett) was alone with Drew, he got him to blink in a way that implicated her. However, in a shocking moment, Justine reveals that the trip log from Willow’s BMW SUV placed her at the scene of the accident just second before it occurred.

Meanwhile, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) comes by Crimson to see Charlotte. He says he broke into the WSB office to get info to expose Cullum as a double agent. Charlotte blows a gasket! She can’t believe that he would do something so stupid that it could have gotten him killed. She firmly tells Danny that best thing he can do to help Jason is to stay out of things. Danny storms out, but notices the stranger in the elevator who now steps into the Crimson lobby.

Courtesy/ABC

The man tells Charlotte he is Agent Mark McKay with the WSB and he has orders to bring her in. When she resisted, he was about to chloroform her, when Danny knocked him out and took off with Charlotte.

ANNA PUTS HER TRUST IN FELICIA

In France, after having some private time with Emma (Braedyn Bruner), Anna (Finola Hughes) wants to talk to Felicia (Kristina Wagner). She tells her best friend she was trying to figure out what memories of her past with Faison, she could trust and not trust. Since Felicia knows her best she is hoping she can believe what she is about to tell her.

It is then that Anna says “Nathan West” (Ryan Paevey) is not who he says he is.” Felicia looks dumb-founded. Will she believe her friend … or think she has drummed this all up in her mind? Stay tuned.

So, what did you think about the goodbye scenes featuring Finn Carr and Kelly Thiebaud? Did you reach for the hankies? Do you believe that soon, Cassius will be caught for his duplicity and the truth about Britt’s “illness” will come to light? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Drops First Single EDM/Dance Track ‘If You Need Me’

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Last weekend, we shared the news that General Hospital alum and Daytime Emmy winner, Chad Duell (ex-Michael Corinthos) was releasing his first single today on June 26th and it has indeed dropped! And for those readers who guessed that Duell’s first track out of the gate was going to be an EDM/Dance/House track … you are correct, sir!

The song entitled, “If You Need Me” is perfect for the late night clubs and can be found on Spotify and other major streaming platforms! Duell is noted as the performing artist, but as the composer/ lyricist and the beatmaker of the track. For his music projects, Chad is going solely by the name of “Duelly” which has been his social media handle for years.

Taking to his Instagram on Friday, Duell explained his deep dive into making music, expressing, “I’ve wanted to make music for a long time… I just never did it. It always felt like this huge, overwhelming thing to learn. All the technical side of it, the programs, everything that goes into actually building a track… it was easy to keep pushing it off.  A couple months ago I finally just decided to go for it.”

Photo: JPI

BIT BY BIT PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Chad added, “Since then I’ve been putting in a lot of time learning, experimenting, figuring things out, and slowly starting to find a sound I’m really proud of. This first release is more of a dance/EDM vibe, but I’ve also been working on a lot of different styles behind the scenes that I’m just as excited about. At some point I realized I could keep holding onto everything trying to make it perfect… or I could just start putting music out and grow as I go.”

Stepping out of his own way, Duell firmly says, “So that’s what I’m doing.  My first track “If You Need Me” is out now. More coming soon… this is just the beginning.”

As GH viewers know, Chad made the decision to step away from General Hospital after a 15-year run with the series where his last episode aired in January of 2025. By May of last year, the role was recast with Rory Gibson debuting in the part.

Give a listen below to Duelly’s “If You Need Me,” and let us know what you thought of it via the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: What Did You Think of the Return of Anna Devane, and What’s In the Letter?

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Finola Hughes made her dramatic return on-screen on the Wednesday, June 24 episode of General Hospital. Viewers will see Finola as Anna Devane again on tomorrow’s June 26th episode.

In the story, while in the French mental health facility, Anna has a session with Dr. Laurent. She tell her she now knows she was never kidnapped and that Cesar Faison is dead.

As she continued with her ruse, she went on to say she understands she was enlisted back into the WSB on a secret mission, and through that she relived all the trauma she endured by Faison, which caused her to have a psychotic break. Anna promises Dr. Laurent that her treatment plan had helped her so much in figuring out what was real, and what was in her imagination.

Courtesy/ABC

ANNA’S GOT HER OWN PLAN TO ESCAPE

In a smart move (hopefully) Anna told Laurent if she could talk to someone else who had known Faison that it might aid in her recover. She was given the phone and she called Felicia (Kristina Wagner), who agreed to fly to France in the morning. Dr. Laurent claims she is pleased with Anna’s progress, but that they still have a very long long way to go.

Now by herself, Anna pulled out a packet of letters from a bedside table. There is one in particular that she is fixated on. What does it contain? Is this all a part of her escape plan? Will she warn Felicia that “Nathan” is really Cassius (Ryan Paevey)? If so, will Felicia even believe her?

In a summer preview with Soap Opera Digest, GH co-head writers Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten shared, “We’ll see echoes of Anna’s earliest incarnation as she returns to Port Charles with deadly intentions.”

So, were you happy to see Anna Devane back on your screens? What do you think is in the particular letter she was staring at? Will Felicia help Anna escape or not believe a word she says? Weigh-in via the comment section.  But first, you can check out some of the scenes from Anna’s on-screen return 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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