GENERAL Hospital has made another cast shakeup by recruiting a new star, while sealing the unfortunate fate of another.
After a brief return to the show, Bryan Craig’s time on General Hospital is now over, Soap Opera Digest reported on Tuesday.
He reprised his role for one episode that was aired on August 6, with Bryan returning as the ghost of Morgan Corinthos – the son of Sonny (Maurice Bernard) and Carly (Laura Wright) Corinthos.
Fans will remember Morgan was killed off in a car bombing intended for his father in 2016, ending Bryan’s nearly-four-year run as the beloved character.
The Emmy winner told Soap Opera Digest he was “very grateful” for the opportunity to revisit Port Charles, adding “I feel very privileged.”
The 32-year-old said, “I’m surprised that they haven’t recast the role in such a long time.
“I’m very grateful because I love working with Maurice and I love what we did towards the end of that run,” Bryan added, referring to his character being diagnosed with bipolar disorder like his father.
“It was so fun to be asked back and to be able to come back to further that storyline a little bit years later. I feel very privileged,” he finished.
Bryan previously made a guest appearance on General Hospital in 2018, returning as Morgan to haunt his ex-lover Ava Jerome (played by Maura West).
Meanwhile, actor Philip Cass will stay on as Clement, the pharmacist who tampered with Sonny’s bipolar medication on Valentin’s (James Patrick Stewart) instructions.
Fans reacted to the shakeup after the show’s official Instagram account posted a picture of Maurice posing Bryan, with several people calling for Morgan’s character to be brought back for good.
“Oh I wish Morgan was back for good!” one person commented. “They never did find a body. He could have been somewhere for a long time and he just got his memories back. Just saying.”
General Hospital fan-favorite character officially returns to show along with two new cast members after low ratings
Another person said, “Please bring Morgan back full-time, we all miss him.”
“We ALL miss Morgan,” a third comment read. “And nobody plays him better than Bryan Craig! No fair teasing us with just one episode!
“These writers better come up with a storyline to bring him back full-time!”
Others complained about Sonny’s medication plot, with one person writing, “This show is on its last legs and this is the best you can come up with???
General Hospital cast
General Hospital has been on air since the early 1960s.
The cast of the iconic soap opera includes:
- Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos)
- Chad Duell (Michael Corinthos)
- Katelyn MacMullen (Willow Corinthos)
- Robert Gossett (Marshall Ashford)
- Josh Swickard (Harrison Chase)
- Gregory Harrison (Gregory Chase)
- Michael Easton (Hamilton Finn)
- Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones)
- Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri)
- Kelly Monaco (Samantha McCall)
- Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber-Baldwin)
- Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves)
- Maura West (Ava Jerome)
Celebrity appearances:
- Demi Moore (1982-1984)
- Meghan Markle (2002)
- Mark Hamil (1972)
- Kristin Davis (1991)
- Eva Longoria (2000)
- George Takei (1985)
- Elizabeth Taylor (1981)
“I thought you wanted to save the show and not crash it even further.”
The shake-up comes days after less than two weeks after General Hospital added four new characters to the show.
On July 31, the long-running ABC soap announced they had brought on several cast members, including some familiar faces.
Rick Hearst, Emma Samms, Jordan Murphy, and Gita Reddy were revealed as the latest additions to the cast line-up at the time.
Fans may remember veteran soap star Rick’s character Ric Lansing moved out of Port Charles and relocated to Los Angeles in an episode that was aired on June 25, 2009.
However, his niece Kristina (Kate Mansi) and daughter Molly (Kristen Vaganos) have remained prominent characters on General Hospital, leaving a window for Ric’s return open.
Meanwhile, another former General Hospital character Holly Sutton (played by Emma) was reintroduced during the shakeup.
However, not everyone was pleased with the cast shakeup, with some suggesting the decision was “unnecessary.”
“Ugh I hated Ric Lansing,” one X user ranted about the return of about Rick’s character.
“He was a criminal who was busy kidnapping women, holding hostage in a panic room to take the baby to to Liz and other criminal activities yet was a lawyer who acted like a saint.”
“Doing unnecessary casting instead of delivering consistently good stories,” a third complained.
