‘GH’ Star Jonathan Jackson Speaks Out About Shocking Exit
By
Jennifer Havener
General Hospital News Scripted Soap Operas
'GH' Jonathan Jackson/Credit: YouTube
Fan-favorite Jonathan Jackson returned to GH last summer to major fanfare. He left the show in 2011, though he made a few appearances after that. Fans had high hopes for Lucky Spencer’s return to Port Charles, namely reconnecting with his first love, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst.) But less than a year later, the actor revealed that he was leaving the show again. Now, he reveals the reason behind his shocking exit.
Jonathan Jackson Done At GH… Again
General Hospital fans were elated last summer when news broke that Jonathan Jackson was returning to the show as Lucky Spencer. He first joined the show in 1993 and played the role on and off until 2011, when he left for good. But soap fans know most actors are never gone for long. Jonathan Jackson reprised the role a few times after his 2011 exit.
But he hadn’t been on the show regularly in almost 15 years, so fans were excited for Lucky Spencer to return home and reunite with his family. But his return was fumbled almost from the beginning. The character spent weeks fighting to get back to Port Charles after being held hostage.
Jonathan Jackson/Credit: ‘GH’ YouTube
Lucky Spencer was desperate to get home because his sister Lulu (Alexa Havins) needed a liver transplant. But it turned out that Lucky wasn’t a match. Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco) was a match and donated part of her liver. But then Sam was murdered, sparking major backlash from viewers.
When he did return home, Lucky was barely on screen after reuniting with his loved ones, including his mother, Laura Spencer (Genie Francis.) In fact, another actor had to step in for Jonathan Jackson earlier this year.
Eventually, Lucky reconnected with his Elizabeth. Fans were confused when their relationship was fast-tracked over the last few weeks. Lucky proposes to Elizabeth, but she turns him down because she doesn’t think he would be happy tied down in Port Charles. He agrees and promptly leaves town.
Popular Actor Speaks Out About Shocking Exit
Jonathan Jackson’s sudden departure shocked fans. His exit was announced just days before his last episode on GH. The actor finally broke his silence about what led him to leave the show this time. He told TV Insider that his intention was to stay on the show longer this time when he agreed to come back. But things didn’t work out that way.
The main thing that caused him to exit the show was distance. He lives in Tennessee with his wife and three kids. He married actress Lisa Vultaggio in 2002 after meeting on the ABC soap. She briefly played FBI agent Hannah Scott, who tried to take down Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) but ended up falling in love with him. Fans never took to the character, and the actress left after just two years.
Jonathan Jackson and his family/Credit: Instagram
When he rejoined GH last year, Jonathan Jackson flew back and forth from Tennessee and Los Angeles to film for the show. However, he ultimately decided that it wasn’t something he could do long-term.
However, it was a last-minute decision to leave the show, which explains Lucky’s abrupt departure. What do you think of his decision to leave GH? Sound off in the comments.
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