General Hospital fans delighted over return of popular character one year after shock exit

General Hospital viewers are feeling 'so many emotions' after it was announced Emma Samms would be returning to the show as fan-favorite character Holly Sutton-Scorpio.

After one year off screen, the network announced the 63-year-old actress would be back in Port Charles in early September.

Taking to social media to share the exciting development, Emma simply wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday: 'Breaking news…!' alongside a story from Variety, who first reported the news.

And it wasn't long before General Hospital fans expressed their delight at the casting bombshell and flocked to social media to voice their anticipation.

One wrote: 'So many emotions…. Such wonderful news.' 

General Hospital has confirmed that Emma Samms will be reprising her character Holly 

The beloved character has been off-screen since last April, but will be back again in September 

Another said: 'What a fantastic way to start the week. This is the best news. Bring on September!'

Echoing a similar sentiment, a third said: 'Yes!! So happy to see this beautiful face around PC (Port Charles) again.'

'Looking forward to your return!!!' a fourth continued. 'Can't wait to see what's in store!!!'

A fifth posted: 'The best of the best is returning… The best bday gift. Thank you lol. Can't wait to see Holly back with her peeps.'

British actress Emma first played Holly on General Hospital from 1982 to 1985, before returning for various stints across the last four decades, racking up more than 300 episodes. 

She last appeared on the soap in April 2023 in a major storyline saw her along with Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and Scott Baldwin (Kin Shriner) band together in Greenland to prevent Victor Cassadine (Charles Shaughnessy) from unleashing biological warfare to wipe out 80 per cent of the world population.

After saving the day, she tried and failed to rekindle her relationship with Robert, before she finally bid farewell and swapped Port Charles for Australia where she planned to help Ethan (Nathan Parsons) settle his debts.

Last year, Emma told Soap Opera Digest that she had been conflicted over whether or not to return to General Hospital.

General Hospital fans expressed their delight by the casting news and flocked to social media 

Emma has starred in General Hospital for more than four decades (pictured in 1982)  

The cast of the ABC soap celebrated its 30th anniversary in 1993 

She said: 'I think that it was almost too good last time. It was so great and so well-received in as much as it was so perfect and so well-received that maybe I should have even just stepped away then, permanently, and left on such a high.'

Speaking about her most recent comeback, she continued: 'It is not so much about my character, it's about the story and actually, that's a bit of a relief, in a way.

'Even though my character is important to the story, it's not my character's story.'

News of Emma's return to General Hospital comes just one month after the network announced Jonathan Jackson would also be reprising his role, Lucky Spencer.

Sharing the bombshell in a video posted to his Instagram, he said: 'Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that I will be returning to General Hospital this summer.

'Super excited and can't wait to dig in and see what's going on in Port Charles. Excited to see Genie Francis, obviously, and so many others.'