‘General Hospital’ star Kirsten Storms abruptly replaced after sudden leave of absence

nypost.com:

Soap Opera Digest reported that Paggi would appear on the Dec. 27 episode, so it’s unclear how long Storms will be away from the ABC daytime warhorse, according to multiple reports.An insider told The Post that Storms will be out “just for a couple of days.”This is not the first time that Storms has been replaced on “GH.”Maxie was temporarily recast in 2011, with Jen Lilley playing the part until Storms returned to “GH” the following year, according to Deadline.The actress also took several leaves-of-absences from “GH” in 2016, 2017 and 2018, each of varying amounts of time, from several days to several months.On those occasions, Storms was replaced by USA Network’s “Queen of the South” star Molly Burnett.Storms also missed time on “GH” in 2021 after undergoing brain surgery; Maxie was not recast and her absence was explained by her leaving Port Charles with her baby to go to Texas, according to Entertainment Weekly.Storms has starred on “General Hospital” since 2005.She also played Isabella “Belle” Black on “Days of Our Lives” from 1999 to 2004.In April 2022, Storms revealed she had bipolar disorder to “GH” co-star Maurice Benard on his video podcast, State of Mind.“I experience anxiety frequently.

I have bipolar 1,” Storms revealed. “I easily get frantic about things. I felt flustered, fear and stressed. I am obsessed with being on time.

I don’t know if you noticed, but I was exactly on time when I entered the building. I obsessively worry about that kind of stuff.

I have had panic attacks about that kind of stuff. My psychiatrist tried to change one of my medications at one point, and I had an adverse reaction to it.”But after starting bipolar medication, Storms says her life changed for the better and her mental.