Steve Burton teases return of ‘General Hospital’ after dismissal in 2021
Steve Burton goes back to Port Charles and follows his Days of our lives departure.
“Happy birthday General Hospital”, said the actor in the final moments of the General Hospital 60th anniversary special, airing on ABC Thursday, January 4. “Stay tuned, big things are coming to Port Charles.”
Steve, 53, was flanked by General Hospital stars Laura Wright And Kelly Monacowhich teased his return.
“You know what they say when one door closes,” Wright, 53, said. Monaco, 47, continued: “Another door is opening.” (The actresses play Carly Corinthos and Sam McCall, respectively, on the long-running soap opera.)
One day before Steve’s surprise General Hospital return, the actor announced his departure Days of our lives.
“Well, I just shot my last scenes here Days of our lives and I just want to say: thank you so much to the cast [and] to the crew. It was amazing,” he shared in a video on the YouTube channel of the “Daily Drama” podcast on Wednesday, January 3. “I can’t believe it’s already been a year! So thank you very much to the fans. It’s just… I’m always so grateful.”
Steve made his Days of our lives debuted in 1988 as Harris Michaels and left the soap opera for the first time that same year. He reprized his role in the show’s spin-off, Beyond Salemin 2022 before becoming official Days of our lives return in 2023.
Soap fans recognize Steve best from his period as Jason Morgan General Hospital from 1991 to 2012. He returned to the show in 2017, but was fired from the ABC series in 2021 following a dispute over COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
“Well, I know there are a lot of rumors and speculations about me General Hospital, and I wanted you to hear it from me personally,” he announced in an Instagram video at the time. “Unfortunately, General Hospital let me go because of the vaccine mandate.”
Steve Burton poses for a portrait circa 1991.
Dianna Whitley/Getty ImagesSteve explained that he “applied for my medical and religious exemptions,” but they were denied.
“But for me this is also about personal freedom,” he added. “If these mandates are lifted, maybe one day I can return and end my career as Jason Morgan. That would be an honor.”
Keeping up with the Burtons. Soap star Steve Burton welcomed three children with Sheree Burton before fans were shocked by their seemingly abrupt split in 2022. The General Hospital actor met Sheree on the set of the hit drama. They married in January 1999. “My career path took many twists and turns after this first job […]
Like his career, Steve’s personal life has been shaken up in recent years. He filed for divorce from his wife of 23 years Sheree Burton in 2022, while she was pregnant. When he announced their divorce, he claimed on social media that he was not the child’s father. She gave birth in February 2023 and has not discussed the paternity of her baby. (The former couple share three children, Mackena, 20, Jack, 17, and Brooklyn, 9.)
We weekly confirmed in December 2023 that Steve and Sheree’s divorce had been finalized. The exes will share joint legal and physical custody of their two minor children, and he will pay $12,500 a month in child support through April. The payment will later decrease to $10,000 per month.