I say Good For Steve if it's his decision to leave and try something new. Again, I'm sure having a family and what you want for them does weight heavily into his decision. Knowing the relationships he's had with GH over the past 21 years I really don't think this is the last we'll see of him on the show, whether it's coming back fulltime or for guest spots.

Great news.

Goodbye Jason Morgan - won't miss you!

What makes this even better is that SB implies he does NOT want to do another soap so we won't see him on Y&R either - yes!!!

I'm SO happy, i feel like crying. GOOD RIDDANCE!

Guza's GH had no heart, and Jason Morgan was its life's blood, so I can't grieve over this.

Good luck to you, Steve.

I can't say that I am surprised because I'm not. Steve did tweet that he was moving to Tennessee. Best of luck Steve.

I'm not reading any backstage drama here. Looks like Burton has been waiting for the right time to make a transition (and no doubt enjoying the the salary and perks he had as one of the main stars). With the daytime industry and the show in particular changing dramatically (and the gravy train coming to a halt), no better time to make an exit and try something else.
I'm sure most daytime actors have their eyes for what the 'next thing' will be.

I wish Burton well and am excited about what story potential this will generate for the rest of the canvas of Port Charles. The "Trinity" of Sonny-Jason-Carly is officially broken, so the characters and show will have no choice but to go in different directions and be more balanced than we have seen with the characters dominance for so long.

Wait for it: the announcement that Genie Francis is leaving Y&R!

This is win-win. JFP gets her pet back, we get rid of Jason and get Laura back.

That sound? Dancing in the streets of the world!

Goooooooood riddance! And take all those damn guns with you!!!!

He was upset he wasn't the favorite anymore, peroid! That's why he left to work with the woman who treated him like a king.

I think GH will be just fine without Jason. I remember when Sonny was gone for like 2 years and those were some of the best 2 years of GH in the 90's.

I do worry for RH and Elizabeth. I really hope they find her another love interest. NOT Lucky. The last returned ruined L&L for me. I loved Jamie's idea of bring on Antonio as a FBI agent. It could know McBain and hook up with Liz. Also he already hates Sonny which is a plus.

Yipee!! This is the best news of the summer.

It'll be good for the show to have a Jason break. I hope it's not permanent, and that if SB returns that they make Jason a 3D character again, which he certainly wasn't the last few years under Guza. Still, a Jason-less show will allow GH to focus on underused characters.

I am so saddened by the confirmation of this news, however I want Steve to go on to bigger and better things. I am happy for him! GH will not be the same with out Jason Quartermaine. Instead of the crappy storyline Jasam received under FV/RC, they could have been spending time enjoying their son. I wonder if we will ever get those scenes. I just hope his exit is befitting of his many years on the show. I wish him lots of love and the best.

I am not disappointed by this announcement. I never liked Jason Morgan. If FV/RC want to do this character justice and end on a good note. They should take him full circle and let him go back to being Jason Quartermaine, hate what he has been doing, decide to turn himself in and go to prison for his "crimes"...that would be a fitting end to this story that should have never lasted pasted a 2 year arc anyway.

Welcome to Southern Middle TN, Steve Burton & family, it's a great place to live and raise your kids although you need to be prepared for the HEAT & HUMIDITY; they are killers!

While I've grown tired of the mobster, Jason, Steve will sorely be missed.

I am surprised to hear people think it was something that FV did. ?? It clearly was his plan to move on for years. Good luck to him.

I will miss him. It is certainly not his fault or any actors fault when writers lack creativity and talent.

That said, I do not understand the hatred of the actor in many of these threads.

I happen to like and look forward to the mystery of GH future stories. For too long, it has been same old same old mob stories. This looks like a game changer. Jason has always been the day saver. It looks like others will have to get some writing.

I know many are hoping that he will stay long enough to learn he has a son. My wish is that he will get to see Robin. I would hate if that reunion never happened. I also worry for Monica if they kill Jason.

I really do like not being able to predict the next thing.

Without Jason, Sonny is going to curl up into a tiny fetal position, and Joe Jr. will play bocce ball with him!

Does anyone know when his last airdate is?

Burton, from the TV Guide interview:

"Right now my last tape date is Sept. 25 but I told them I'm happy to stay for another couple of weeks if it helps wrap things up. So it looks like I will be on air through October, maybe into November."

Jasamforever your post sums up my feelings perfectly.

Personally, I will be happy to ship any pairing that sam moves on to as long as the writing is strong, but I hope that with burton leaving they will reunite jasam before he goes. Let him find out that the baby is theirs, give them one last mission - to save their child - and then have him be presumed dead saving their baby. His last words should be I have always loved you Sam before he dies in her arms.

This is obviously something that SB has been wanting to do for a while so I don't think anyone should blame FV or RC. It is what it is and nothing more. Why do people always have to fabricate drama where there is none? (Not necessarily on DC but on twitter and FB) I am VERY sad that my Liason will suffer for this but what can be done? I will miss Steve Burton and Jason, and I wish him good luck in his future endeavors.

TV Gord - thank you!

I hope Jason heads out to find his son Jake when he figures out he is alive.

Okay so we received some very sad news today-Steve Burton has decided to leave GH. GH can and will survive. Steve would be the first one to ask his fans to continue to watch GH and stay a loyal fan. I for one will miss Steve very much but I will never turn my back on GH. The show must go on.

While I am sad to hear that Steve's leaving, but I am glad that it's on his own terms. Not many soap actors can say they had a steady paycheck for over 20 years, he's really lucky.

I agree GH can and will survive without him, and I know Frank and Ron will have a great exit storyline for him, maybe he'll go back to being Jason Q. who knows.

Creating and producing a new show is different, probably something he's always wanted to do, but I wonder if he'll eventually go to Y&R, I mean JFP, is there now, and she LOVES him, we'll see.

Probably some time in October. We could see him up until November if they ask him to stay a few more weeks. His last tape date I believe is 9/25 but he said he'd stay a few weeks if needed for story that's why we may see him in Nov.

Sad day for this viewer to hear this. I enjoy the actor and his role as Jason. Much luck to him and his family. Hopefully if they decide to recast they chose someone as attractive rather than what they have been hiring lately. Long haired graying men don't cut it.

I think I'm more disappointed for fans who really care about Burton than for myself. I agree, it's a loss. But his salary is a big chunk of change that can be used for actors who really want to be there, and who I miss.

It sounds like SBu would have left three years ago if the economy had not turned bad. Any who, good luck Steve!

His salary represents a big chunk of change for other actors who really wanna be there.
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IA. I am always amazed at actors that "choose" to leave the show, and TPTB that keeps trying to get them to come back (JJ, KMc, etc). Let them go and work with the people that WANT to stay on the show!

I haven't seen much acting from Burton since I started watching again in February, so other than the enjoyment I got from watching his "Joey Tribbiani-patented 'fart acting'" (which regularly cracked me up), I could take him or leave him.

One thing that makes me sad is that the writers over the years have squandered the opportunity they had with this character (especially with his latest brain injury) to have him reawaken his connection to the Quartermaines. I would have really enjoyed seeing him struggle with his mob life and the Jason he used to be. What I've seen since I started watching was just a waste of the talents others have professed that he has. Too bad.