GENERAL Hospital fans have started a petition to keep cast member Kelly Monaco on the soap after her shocking exit was recently announced.

A Change.com petition, which has over 10K signatures out of its 15K goal, was created to keep the character of Sam McCall on General Hospital.

7

Kelly Monaco as Sam McCall in a 2023 episode of ABC’s General HospitalCredit: 2023 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

7

The cast, crew, and creative team of General Hospital celebrating its 15,000th episode milestone in May 2022Credit: Getty

7

Dominic Zamprogna and Kelly Monaco in a 2021 episode of General Hospital on ABCCredit: © 2021 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kelly, 48, has portrayed the role on the ABC soap for over two decades.

The petition, created by user Holly V last week, describes how important the character has been for longtime viewers.

“Sam McCall, masterfully portrayed by Kelly Monaco for over 2 decades, has woven herself into the fabric of our daily lives, becoming a beloved figure on screen,” the creator wrote.

“Now, Kelly has been blindsided and fired after 21 years.

“The thought of General Hospital without Sam’s character is not just disappointing, it is unthinkable for the loyal audience,” Holly continued.

“Her departure would strip the show of its core, disorienting many longtime viewers who have followed her storylines for years.

“Sam McCall is more than just a character to us, she represents a part of our own lives – triumphs, hardships, love, and loss.

“Without Kelly Monaco, this character’s journey abruptly ends, leaving her viewers with an incomplete story and void that can’t be filled,” the user added.

The description noted that the petition aimed to gain producers’ attention to “preserve a part of the show’s history.”

“It’s time to respect the dedication and emotional investment of the viewers and, especially Kelly, who have dedicated their time and heart into the character,” it concluded.

General Hospital fans rage over ‘gross’ storyline featuring Drew and Willow that leaves them fast-forwarding scenes

KELLY’S GOODBYE

News of Kelly’s departure from the daytime series was revealed last week, with her due to make her final appearance this fall.

According to Soap Opera Network, it “wasn’t Kelly’s decision to leave” and she was allegedly “blindsided” by the news.

The outlet also stated that her character would be “killed off” in the soap, making her final appearance only weeks away.

The actress filmed over 2,000 episodes for the soap, leaving many fans heartbroken by the network’s decision.

General Hospital cast

General Hospital has been on air since the early 1960s.

The cast of the iconic soap opera includes:

Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos)

Chad Duell (Michael Corinthos)

Katelyn MacMullen (Willow Corinthos)

Robert Gossett (Marshall Ashford)

Josh Swickard (Harrison Chase)

Gregory Harrison (Gregory Chase)

Michael Easton (Hamilton Finn)

Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones)

Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri)

Kelly Monaco (Samantha McCall)

Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber-Baldwin)

Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves)

Maura West (Ava Jerome)

Celebrity appearances:

Demi Moore (1982-1984)

Meghan Markle (2002)

Mark Hamil (1972)

Kristin Davis (1991)

Eva Longoria (2000)

George Takei (1985)

Elizabeth Taylor (1981)

“You have made a HUGE mistake. Using Kelly in the promo to welcome Steve Burton back, and then firing her is despicable. She’s an absolute gem,” one person wrote on X.

“This is absolutely devastating and if Sam/Kelly go, I will never watch @GeneralHospital again,” another said.

“This is an utterly ridiculous decision for GH to make. I can’t believe they’re doing this to Kelly Monaco, a veteran actress, and her character. Sam is very much needed on the show,” someone else complained.

Viewers have been trying to depict why ABC would kill off Sam and have blamed unimaginative story writing as the culprit.

“I feel like the issues with her character are the fault of writers and writers team transitions,” one person penned on Reddit.

7

Actors Steve Burton and Kelly Monaco in a scene from General HospitalCredit: © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.

“She’s a great actress but they haven’t utilized her in any meaningful or interesting way in a long time,” they added.

In 2006, Kelly earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance as the private investigator on the longtime series.

IN WITH THE NEW

While her character may soon be leaving Port Charles, three new ones are reportedly heading to the fictional town.

According to a General Hospital sub-Reddit, newcomer Emmanuel Jalbert has been recruited to play Gerard.

Star Trek: Discovery actor Sawandi Wilson recently confirmed on Instagram that he would portray Isaiah’s role.

Jane the Virgin star Carlo Rota, 63, will also join the cast in an unconfirmed role.

7

Kelly Monaco as Sam McCall in a 2024 episode of the ABC daytime series General HospitalCredit: © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.

7

Kelly Monaco’s character shares a hug with Cameron Mathison’s character on General HospitalCredit: 2021 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

7

Kelly Monaco as Sam McCall in an episode of General Hospital on ABCCredit: 2023 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.