General Hospital is celebrating its 16,000th episode with the return of beloved cast member Steve Burton.
The actor joined the long-running soap opera in 1991 as Jason Morgan, who was born to the elite Quartermine family. However, Jason experienced permanent amnesia after a car accident in 1995, prompting him to renounce his roots and become the chief mob associate of Sonny Corinthos (portrayed by Maurice Benard).
Burton, 57, has departed the show multiple times over the years. He was let go in 2021 because he refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine, but returned in 2024. Then, he announced in February that he was taking a hiatus.
However, Burton appears to be coming back to the soap opera once again for the the 16,000th episode, which was filmed Monday. In a Tuesday video on the show’s Instagram account, the actor could be seen posing on the TV set, alongside several of the longest-running cast members, including Benard and Laura Wright.
“There’s nothing like celebrating a milestone with friends, family, and cake to cure a case of the Mondays,” the caption reads. “63 years and 16,000 episodes later, we’re still going strong thanks to all of you! Thank you so much for watching.”
Other General Hospital stars in the video included Cameron Mathison, Chris L. McKenna, Jane Elliot, Cynthia Watros and Kristina Wagner. It is not yet known who from seasons past will appear in the soap opera’s milestone episode, which airs Monday, July 13.
Burton’s return to the set comes months after he announced his hiatus. “Hey everyone, I wanted to share that I’ll be taking a short break from @generalhospitalabc. I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family,” he wrote on Instagram in February. “I’m grateful for all the support and will be back this summer.”
The actor tied the knot with chef Michelle Lundstrom in a May 2025 beachfront wedding, four months after announcing his engagement. He shares three children, Makenna, 22, Jack, 20 and Brooklyn, 11, with his ex-wife, Sheree Gustin.
Meanwhile, another beloved General Hospital cast member, Kate Mansi, announced she was leaving the program after three years.
“I’ve made the very difficult decision to leave General Hospital,” Mansi told TV Insider’s Stephanie Sloane for her blog SoapSteph last month. “I have a few new projects that require my full attention, and with my husband [Matt McInnis] currently producing a series filming primarily abroad, I needed the flexibility to travel while continuing to develop and work in Los Angeles.”
The Daytime Emmy-winning actor took over as Kristina Davis, the daughter of Sonny Corinthos and his former attorney, Alexis Davis (played by Nancy Lee Grahn), on General Hospital in 2023.
