‘General Hospital’ Is Bringing Genie Francis Back, ABC Executive Says It’s Gonna Be Huge

General Hospital fans would be pleased to know that ABC is working on bringing back Genie Francis. The actress has been dropped to a recurring status, which disappointed many fans, particularly those who have been watching the daytime soap for decades.

In a recent interview with podcast Daytime After Dark, ABC executive Nathan Varni confirmed that Genie Francis is currently on a recurring status. He said that they want to bring back Francis in General Hospital in a major way. In fact, he revealed, the soap’s writers are already brainstorming to create a huge storyline that would focus on her character, Laura Spencer.

Varni recognized that Francis is an integral part of General Hospital, just like what fans have been saying that Genie is GH — she played an important role in making the soap the kind of show that it is today. Varni added that in order to honor Francis’ talents, they do not want to bring her back in a story arc that just blends in the background.

“What we want is a prolific, big story for Laura that deserves the many talents of Genie Francis,” he said in the interview, via Daytime Confidential.“It’s my intention that I hope we can continue to have a relationship.”

Varni said they are working hard on a Laura-centric story, and hopes that she will be onscreen again sooner than later. When news broke in late January that Francis was dropped off her contract, her agent Arthur Toretzky told EW that the actress will only return to Port Charles if she’s given an ideal story and timing.

Tristan Rogers & Genie Francis Returning to #GeneralHospital? ABC Exec Shares Major Plans! https://t.co/V6fpXQXOdu

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As part of her recent exit, Laura has canceled her electoral race to become Port Charles’ mayor and flew to France to take care of Spencer who had been injured in a skiing accident.

Since Francis’ contract cancelation, fans have been lobbying for her return. More than 25,000 signed a petition, via Soap Hub, to bring her back. TPTB might have been listening, and a recent blind item teased that one soap opera is bringing back a veteran.

Genie Francis has been playing Laura Spencer on and off since 1977. She last returned to General Hospital in 2015 as part of Anthony Geary’s (Luke Spencer) exit.

General Hospital airs Mondays to Fridays at 2 p.m. on ABC.