Five months after his surprise return to General Hospital, Steve Burton is opening up about coming back to the soap opera.
Burton, 53, is best known for his portrayal of Jason Morgan on General Hospital, with his first stint spanning between 1991 and 2012.
He returned in 2017 after a four-year stint on The Young and the Restless, though he was fired in 2021 for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The actor returned to Days of Our Lives in 2022 and 2023, though he announced in early January he was leaving that show, and a day later revealed he was coming back to GH.
The actor was in attendance at the Daytime Emmy Awards over the weekend, where he opened up to ET about his return to GH.
Five months after his surprise return to General Hospital , Steve Burton is opening up about coming back to the soap opera
Burton, 53, is best known for his portrayal of Jason Morgan on General Hospital, with his first stint spanning between 1991 and 2012
‘It’s been amazing to come back to the show. It’s always felt like home. I love the cast, I love the crew, and life is amazing right now. It really is, truly,’ he said.
His departure from GH in November 2021 was quite sudden and surprising, with Burton confirming in an Instagram video that he was fired, adding he applied for, ‘medical and religious exemptions’ for the COVID vaccine and was denied.
‘But this is also about personal freedom for me. I don’t think anyone should lose their livelihood over this,’ Burton said in the video.
Reflecting on it now, Burton said that was, ‘an interesting time in general,’ adding he felt that refusing the COVID-19 vaccine was, ‘something that I felt like I had to do.’
‘When another door shuts another one opens and, you know, God has a plan,’ Burton said of his dismissal and now return.
‘I left and here I am back again, full circle, and it feels great and it’s just an amazing time,’ he admitted, adding he’ll be happy to stick with the show, ‘if it’s on another 60 years.’
He also offered a tribute to beloved late soap opera actor Johnny Wactor, who was killed in downtown Los Angeles after confronting a catalytic convertor thief.
Burton said Wactor was, ‘an incredible man,’ adding, ‘I said it on our podcast, and just in general, he was just a guy you could always count on.’
‘It’s been amazing to come back to the show. It’s always felt like home. I love the cast, I love the crew, and life is amazing right now. It really is, truly,’ he said
‘But this is also about personal freedom for me. I don’t think anyone should lose their livelihood over this,’ Burton said in the video
‘He was selfless, giving, as we see. My prayers to his family,’ Burton added of the late soap opera star, who was just 37 years old when he was killed
Burton also made headlines in late December 2023 when his divorce from Sheree Gustin was finalized after it was revealed she was having a baby with another man
‘He was selfless, giving, as we see. My prayers to his family,’ Burton added of the late soap opera star, who was just 37 years old when he was killed.
Burton also made headlines in late December 2023 when his divorce from Sheree Gustin was finalized after it was revealed she was having a baby with another man.
Sheree has also asked the judge overseeing the divorce to permanently terminate any spousal support for both her and Burton.
The actor had previously filed for joint custody of the three children they share, and custody and visitation of Makena, Jack and Brooklyn will not change now that the divorce is finalized.
In his original divorce filing, Burton claimed that he and his ex had separated in March of 2022, and he cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for their split.