General Hospital fans weren’t the only ones bummed out to learn that Steve Burton would be taking a leave of absence — Kelly Thiebaud was disappointed, too. Star-crossed lovers Jason and Britt had just finally gotten together, and pfft, that fast, their relationship was being put on hold again.

“I was shocked when I found out,” she says in the new episode of State of Mind shared by TV Insider. “So I confronted Steve about it.”

Why Is Burton Bowing Out?

Thiebaud understood her leading man’s desire to take a break. “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family,” explained the actor, who wed Michelle Lundstrum back in May of last year.

“But the other side of that,” Thiebaud admits, “is I feel let down, you know? I thought we had time together, and it’s just been really hard.”

The last time Jason and Britt’s storyline was heating up was in 2021, when Burton was let go for refusing to comply with the COVID vaccination protocols that the show had put in place to safeguard its cast and crew.

When Will Jason Be Returning?

At least this time around, viewers know when the Emmy winner will be returning as Jason: He “will be back this summer,” he said in announcing his exit.