Steve Burton has exited General Hospital and returned more than any other cast member

Steve Burton has departed GH again

Steve Burton is beloved as Jason Morgan on General Hospital, but fans have been caught off guard by a series of exits and returns. Genie Francis, who portrays Laura Collins, debuted on the ABC soap in 1977 and has left and returned four times in four decades.

Burton has departed five times in three decades, and when he returns, it will be number six. For 35 years, he has portrayed the beloved "Stone Cold" disappointing fans who are excited each time he is back on the canvas.

The soap vet has just announced that his fifth exit from Port Charles life, is temporary, to the delight of his followers. Let's take a look at his "comings and goings" from the ABC soap.

The first two exits and returns

Burton debuted as Jason Quartermaine, the preppy, clean-cut medical student, in 1991. After a 1995 car accident caused by his drunk-driving brother A.J., Jason developed amnesia and had brain damage. He rejected the Quartermaines and took the last name Morgan, the maiden name of his grandmother, Lila Quartermaine.

He began working as an enforcer for mob boss Sonny Corinthos and walked away from his life of privilege. Burton first left GH in 2000 to pursue other acting opportunities. He returned for short-term appearances for specific storylines later in 2000 but wasn't on contract. He left again in 2001.

The third return and departure

In May 2002, the soap vet returned full-time, and Jason "became known as the mob enforcer/super hero/hitman" of Port Charles. In 2012, the actor departed GH again. He moved his family to Nashville and said he was done with Hollywood.

Burton said he had no desire to return to the soaps. A year later, however, he joined the cast of CBS soap The Young and the Restless as Dylan McAvoy and remained in that role until 2017. Dylan was the son of series regulars Paul Williams and Nikki Newman.

The fourth return and exit

Burton returned to General Hospital a fourth time as Patient 6 in 2017 while Billy Miller was portraying "Jason." It was eventually revealed that Burton was the original Jason Morgan, and Miller’s character was his twin brother, Drew Cain.

In November 2021, Burton was fired from General Hospital due to non-compliance with the Disney/ABC COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He returned to his first-ever soap role, Harris Michaels, on Days of Our Lives, where he was on contract from 2023 to 2024.

In March 2024, Burton was rehired for a fifth time by General Hospital after the vaccine mandates were lifted.

Burton's fifth exit

On February 10 of this year, Steve Burton announced on Instagram that he is taking a short hiatus from General Hospital to spend time with his family. He has three children, and his wife Michelle, whom he married last March, has two. Burton said he will return to the soap this summer.

Both Burton and Executive Producer Frank Valentini have confirmed he will be back on screen (for a sixth time) by Summer 2026, so fans should not be worried. The actor has taped his final scenes, but there is no news at this time about what takes him off-screen this time or when Jason will exit.

Some fans are concerned about the relationship between Jason and Britt Westbourne and wonder if these two will ever become an official couple. Others say they want to see Jason and Damia Spanelli become close again when Burton is back on the screen.

Be on the lookout for General Hospital spoilers and updates related to the storyline that leads to Jason's departure from Port Charles and who will be affected.