Hot on the heels of the news fan favorite Kelly Monaco had left her role of 21 years on the ABC sudser General Hospital after being asked to take a major pay cut is the news another fan fave Chad Duell has announced his sudden departure after a 14-year-stint as Michael Corinthos. This after Emmy-winner Nicholas Chavez (Spencer Cassadine) jumped ship for Ryan Murphy's multiverse.

It's no secret the show has been battling declining ratings, prompting some ruthless budget cuts from the ABC bigwigs. The show recently axed two popular actors, Roger Howarth & Michael Easton, while fans have noticed star performers Kin Shriner, Lynn Herring & Tristan Rogers have gone completely MIA. There are also rumors that super-talented Maura West who portrays Ava Jerome might be the next to depart. :( Cutting popular actors from the canvas is a ploy we've seen before when the network hopes to cancel a soap with limited repercussions by getting the fans to turn away (Guiding Light, As the World Turns, anyone?)

Last-ditch attempts at recapturing some of the past magic by bringing the talented Jonathan Jackson back as Lucky Spencer (and a return of Genie Francis as Lucky's mother Laura) & casting ex-As the World Turns favorite Van Hansis as the new Lucas Jones seem too-little-too-late, in my opinion.

General Hospital is currently the longest-running of the four remaining soaps on the air and the only ABC daytime drama airing, making its debut in 1963. If it were to be cancelled, that would further darken the future of the medium... :( :( :(

I'm hoping the upcoming CBS soap Beyond the Gates can help save our soaps!


Here's an article speaking on the cancellation rumors:

https://www.showbiz411.com/2024/11/23/general-hospital-actor-chad-duell-latest-longtimer-to-exit-soap-opera-as-ratings-fall-budget-cut

https://cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/headlines/2024/12/kin-gh.jpg

With the recent exits of top General Hospital stars Kelly Monaco, Chad Duell, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Roger Howarth and Michael Easton, another longtime resident of Port Charles appears to be departing the series.

Actor Kin Shriner, who has played the part of resident bad boy Scott Baldwin on the soap since 1977, hinted to curious fans that his tenure with the series has come to a conclusion. One fan asked the actor on X when he would be returning to the show. He responded with "No plans." He would tell another fan, “The show has to reinvent itself, it’s the nature of the business. I was brought on in 1977 to do that. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t! I love the soap & I wish them all luck.”

The top brass at ABC are tight-lipped, as usual, when it comes to the comings and goings of its talent. No one at the network has addressed the rumors of the show possibly being cancelled.