General Hospital star confirms unexpected return 7 years after character’s death

There’s no end to the amount of plot twists General Hospital can give its fans.

The beloved soap opera has been around since the early 1960s, and for a whopping 15,000 episodes.

Now it’s currently airing its 62nd season — and gearing up to deliver yet another surprise to fans, through an unexpected cast return.

The show is officially welcoming back Ryan Paevey into the cast, who first joined the show as Nathan West in 2013.

However, it is unclear under what capacity he will be returning — his old role or a new character — as Nathan was killed off in 2018.

It comes as a surprise to fans as much as it does for Ryan himself, who revealed to Deadline that his return first began unfolding he received a text from Executive Producer Frank Valentini, who was the one to bring him onto the show as an on-screen love interest for Kirsten Storms‘ character Maxie Jones.

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“We talked a bit and he asked would I consider returning for a while, talking story, floated different story ideas involving different time commitments of me, and I thought if we’re going to do this we should really do it and surprise the fans with a meaty storyline,” Ryan shared.

He is set to return to set and start filming this week, and will make his official return to the soap in September.

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“I was surprised by my excitement for a homecoming and reuniting with familiar faces after seven years. I still have my last call sheet from my final taping day on January 18, 2018, tacked up in my home office,” he added.

In addition to his role on General Hospital, Ryan is also known for his extensive work on the Hallmark Channel, which includes movies such as A Summer Romance, From Friend to Fiancé, A Little Daytime Drama, Harvest Love, Coyote Creek Christmas, and Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, among others. 

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Confirmation of his return comes some weeks after Kelly Thiebaud returned as his on-screen sister Britt Westbourne, after her character was also killed off in January 2023.

“It is good to be home,” she told Deadline at the time, with executive producer Frank adding: “I am thrilled to have Kelly back on our show … We have some great twists and turns planned for her character.”