As longtime “General Hospital” fans know, Kelly Thiebaud made a shocking return as Dr. Britt Westbourne in 2025. So, why did this sudden reappearance come as such a shock? Well, it’s because “GH” fans watched the character of Britt Westbourne die on screen in early 2023. Thus, a Kelly Thiebaud return was not really on anyone’s bingo card.
While many “GH” fans never expected to see Britt on their screens again, most don’t know what was going on behind the scenes. In a candid interview with co-star Maurice Benard on his podcast, “State Of Mind with Maurice Benard,” Thiebaud revealed why she left “GH” and opened up about having to start over at 40.
Kelly Thiebaud Reveals Why She Left “GH” on Maurice Benard’s Podcast
As “GH” fans may remember, Thiebaud made a sudden exit from Port Charles in late 2022, with her last episodes as Dr. Britt Westbourne airing in January 2023. At the time, Thiebaud had just turned 40 and was feeling “really restless personally and professionally.”
On the podcast, she revealed to Benard that she actually begged “GH” producers to let her out of her contract early. She just wasn’t happy with her character’s place on the show after Steve Burton’s exit in 2021, given that their characters had been romantically linked.
Plus, Thiebaud admitted that she just wasn’t happy in her personal life. She wanted marriage and children, and felt like it was a now-or-never type of situation. The show’s executives eventually agreed, and Thiebaud suddenly found herself across the pond in London with her new boyfriend.
Kelly Thiebaud Talks About Love and Loss
Sadly, Thiebaud’s trek to the U.K. did not end up the way she had envisioned. It was definitely a hard pill to swallow, too, given that Thiebaud felt like she had given up just about everything in her life to move to London to be with her then-partner. Thiebaud revealed to Benard that wanting children and feeling like her biological clock was ticking was truly the driving force behind “blowing up her life.”
Unfortunately, Thiebaud came away from this relationship with no ring, no kids, and feeling as lost as ever. She went on to admit, “It’s hard to go through things when you’re older. Do you know what I mean?” Having had his own struggles with mental health and having to manage his bipolar diagnosis later in life, Benard quickly responded with, “You think!” Of course, this gave both actors a good laugh.
Kelly Thiebaud Gets Candid About Finding the Courage to Start Over
Despite the difficulties surrounding this situation, and admitting to the fact that going through something like this “makes you feel like an absolute failure,” Thiebaud shared that she has a new outlook on the whole situation. She candidly shared with Benard, “I’m rebuilding my life, you know. There was a lesson that I wasn’t learning in this last relationship. I had to learn it, and I did. Now, I’m starting all over, and it’s beautiful and difficult.”
Since making her return to “GH” in 2025, Thiebaud has been finding her footing once again. She shared, “I’m just telling myself that this is my period to just get back on my feet. Love myself again. Find myself again. And have a relationship with me because, ultimately, after everything I’ve been through, the most important thing to me is how I treat myself, how I advocate for myself, and how I show up for myself. I’ve had to go through a lot of pain to get to this place.”
