‘General Hospital’ Star Taking Hiatus 2 Years After Returning

Another General Hospital star is taking a hiatus.

TV Insider reports that Steve Burton will be taking a break from the long-running soap opera just two years after returning as Jason Morgan.

“Hey everyone, I wanted to share that I’ll be taking a short break from General Hospital,” Burton wrote on Instagram. “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 luv -sb.”

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Burton tied the knot with chef and content creator Michelle Lundstrom in California in May. He previously separated from his first wife, Sheree, in 2022. They share three children, Makena, Brooklyn, and Jack. It makes sense that Burton would want to take some time for his family, but it sounds like Jason Morgan will be back in the future, and his hiatus won’t be nearly as long as the last one.

The actor joined General Hospital in 1991, taking over the role of Jason Morgan, who had been played by various child actors between 1981 and 1988. Burton left GH in 2012, with Jason being played by Carmel Fainbaum, Billy Miller, and Paul Chirico until 2017, when Burton ultimately returned. He left General Hospital again in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining he was fired “because of the vaccine mandate.” Burton eventually returned in 2024.

Burton has already filmed his last episode, but the series is already planning for his return. Executive producer Frank Valenti told TV Insider, “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 stories leading up to the spring and look forward to his return in the summer.”

As for when his final episode airs and how General Hospital will temporarily write off Jason Morgan, those details have not been announced. At the very least, Jason will be back, likely later this year, but more information should be announced in the coming months. Burton is definitely not the first General Hospital star to go on hiatus as of late, and he probably won’t be the last, but there will still be a lot to look forward to, even without Jason Morgan in Port Charles.