"General Hospital" Star Returning to Show After Yearslong COVID Battle
Restored health is always good news. When someone finds healing after battling COVID and its aftermath for two trying years, it’s a cause for celebration!
Emma Samms, the 61-year-old actress who originated the character of Holly Sutton on “General Hospital” in 1982, has not been well enough to appear on the show since 2020.
Emma told Soap Opera Network she’s been in the grips of “long COVID” since contracting it in March 2020. She was last seen on the show in September of that year.
The CDC identifies victims of “long COVID” as “people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 [who] experience long-term effects from their infection.” Thankfully, Emma is about to put her extended battle behind her and get back to the work she loves.
She told readers of Deadline, “I can’t believe that it’s been 40 years since I first appeared on General Hospital and that, once again, I get to play the wonderful character of Holly Sutton. No one is more interested in what’s happened to her since we saw her two years ago, being held captive by a mysterious villain, than me!”
In the storyline, residents of Port Charles believe Holly is dead but viewers know she’s being held captive in Monte Carlo, although her captor is a mystery.
Samms told PEOPLE, “I’m immensely grateful to Producer Frank Valentini and the writers for their understanding and willingness to accommodate my ongoing health issues. I can’t wait to get back to Port Charles!”
Of her illness, Samms remembers people encouraging her that she’d only experience symptoms for 10 days. The fatigue that followed, though, plagued for long after.
She realized something was wrong when she couldn’t complete her workouts or enjoy gardening in her home about two hours from London.
“‘The fatigue that comes with Long COVID is not regular fatigue, it’s not where I feel a bit sleepy,’ Samms told PEOPLE, who added that she now keeps a packed bag at the ready in case she needs to make an emergency trip to the hospital.
“‘It’s the kind that you might imagine marathon runners feeling when you see them staggering over a finish line and they can barely stand up. Some days I don’t want to get out of bed even if I have to go to the bathroom. Even that feels like too much effort.'”
The experience motivated the actress, who also was featured on “Dynasty,” to coordinate a virtual reunion of the “Dynasty” cast in 2021 to raise money for long COVID research.
Fans, fellow cast members and crew, and other victims of long COVID can all rejoice to see Emma well enough to resume the work she loves and that brings joy to many.
