“I missed the consistency of acting”— Kelly Thiebaud opens up about her emotional return to General Hospital and what brought her back

General Hospital is welcoming back Kelly Thiebaud, who is set to reprise her role on Friday, July 18, 2025. It's almost two years after the soap wrote off Britt Westbourne. As Thiebaud returns she reconnects with the set and the cast that shaped over a decade of her career. 

The actress who first joined the show in 2012 expressed gratitude for the rare opportunity to step away and return. After her character died in 2023 Thiebaud believed her time on the show had ended. She moved to London after wrapping her scenes, where she worked through major transitions. The change from Los Angeles to London was jarring, with gray skies replacing constant sun and career uncertainty looming due to the Hollywood strikes. 

While she loved London, she battled bouts of depression during her time abroad. When she returned to the United States; she felt drawn back to the soap and saw opportunities to reconnect with her acting roots. Conversations with executive producer Frank Valentini helped make the decision clear.

“I missed the consistency of acting,” Thiebaud admitted in her discussion with TV Insider on July 16, 2025.
 

Coming back to a familiar set feels like returning to family, as she mentioned. She further added, 

“I missed getting to be creative and play and do weird and fun and exciting things in storytelling. It’s a special job, daytime television.” 

Kelly Thiebaud speaks about her return to General Hospital

Thiebaud’s character, Dr. Britta “Britt” Westbourne, MD, had been a pivotal figure on General Hospital since 2012. Initially introduced as the daughter of Cesar Faison and Dr. Liesl Obrecht, Britt's character has been primary to the storylines as an antagonist. She shared connections with other key characters, including her late brother Nathan West and sister-in-law Maxie Jones. 

Fans followed Britt’s transformation from a manipulative troublemaker to a sympathetic character before her death in 2023. Her departure left a gap in Port Charles, and somehow, fans wanted it to be filled.

Speaking to TV Insider, Thiebaud reflected on her path back. 

“After my last day on set, I thought I would never return,” she revealed. “And that’s why I think coming back now has so many feelings attached to it.” 

Her time away gave her a new perspective. While living in London, she enjoyed the adventure and growth but faced personal hurdles, including the industry strike and the city’s dreary weather. 

Her comeback was not without challenges. 

“I felt so rusty, I felt so off my game. It’s like learning to ride a bike and taking off the training wheels… I feel like I’m starting over.”, she admitted.
 

Despite feeling nervous about her first episodes, she emphasized the overwhelming joy she felt when reuniting with her colleagues. 

“It was so much like a family that I was coming back to, and that was just so meaningful for me… I had a full breakdown in the makeup room with my old makeup artist and Cynthia Watros, who plays Nina,” she said.
 

Those emotions reinforced that she had made the right choice. Beyond her return to the set, Thiebaud feels uplifted by the overwhelming support from fans. She shared that the encouraging messages and excitement from viewers reassure her that this comeback is the right step. For Thiebaud, this chapter takes Britt’s legacy forward while crafting the character again.

General Hospital is available to stream on ABC.