Since his memorable role as Todd Manning on ABC’s One Life To Live, Roger Howarth has been an icon and fan-favorite. Despite OLTL’s 2012 cancellation, Roger’s popularity grew. That’s because he landed himself a role on ABC’s longstanding General Hospital. Fast forward to today and we all know the rest.
General Hospital news and spoilers report that Roger Howarth’s GH exit caused quite a stir. So much backlash for TPTB flood social media platforms. No one wanted to see Roger go, and now the GH Executives are receiving backlash for their decision not to renew Roger’s contract.
According to GH news, GH fans petition Roger Howarth’s return. It’s true that there is a change.org petition to get Roger back on General Hospital. Evidently, fans are just as dismayed by losing Austin Holt as they were when Franco Baldwin was suddenly killed. It’s obvious the that common denominator is Roger Howarth. He’s a beloved actor in the Daytime Television community and GH fans aren’t ready or willing to let him go.
Our friends over at the General Hospital Blog Facebook Page have helped us by finding the petition link. Thank You, Judith Sugiura and Nancy Melman for sharing the link in our comments section!
Dr. Austin Holt (Roger Howarth) was doing the right thing after doing a many things wrong. Although Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) pulls the strings, Austin still carried out criminal acts on top of the lies he told to Ava Jerome (Maura West). The thing is that Austin wasn’t a bad guy but he did bad things because Cyrus had the upper hand. After all, it was Cyrus who paid Austin’s way through medical school. But was it really worth it when Austin was never able to outrun his debt?
Earlier this week, General Hospital star Roger Howarth confirmed his GH exit and Austin Holt’s unexpected death. General Hospital recaps recall the latest storyline shocker! Dr. Austin Holt took the righteous path and was preparing himself to give Cyrus up to the PCPD in exchange for immunity. After all, he only commutes those crimes and told those lies because Cyrus and Mason (Nathanyael Grey) gave him no choice.
Austin Dies
General Hospital spoilers reveal that Howarth has filmed his final episode. His two and a half year run as the peculiar Dr. Austin Holt from Pautuck is over. But this isn’t the first time that Howarth’s role has been given the axe. The Daytime Emmy Winner is best known for his role as Todd Manning on One Life To Live. Since the Soap Opera’s 2012 cancellation, Howarth has played various Daytime TV roles. In fact, he became known for playing more than a couple characters on the same Soap. First Roger brought OLTL’s Manning to GH. Then, he was written off and he has played two other roles on GH following the Llanview legend. While General Hospital fans mourn Austin’s death and Howarth’s departure, hope remains that he returns as someone entirely new.
“Several weeks ago I got a phone call from somebody I’ve known for a very long time who I love very dearly [GH and OLTL Executive Producer Frank Valentini] telling me that when my contract was up at ABC I would not be offered a new contract and that the character of Austin would be killed, and that this was something they both wanted and needed to do to move story,” the iconic daytime television star revealed to Soap Opera Digest. “And it took me a minute to kind of adjust, to kind of hear the news; it took a second for me to let that settle in.
“And then, immediately, I realized how lucky I was to have been able to do something I really love doing for more than a decade with people who I really enjoyed working with,” Howarth continued. “I’m a lucky guy. I had a great run and this was a decision made by people who make these kinds of decisions for a living. For me, I felt it was very much like that scene in Moneyball and Jonah Hill had just told me I’ve been traded. I feel very respected and supported. For a long time, I’ve enjoyed coming to work, learning lines, and saying them with really cool people.”
Will Roger Return In His Fourth Role?
So much is to be said about a 30+ year acting career. Daytime Television has been luck to have a talent such as Roger. The best is yet to come!
Clearly, there is no bad blood between Howarth, Valentini, and TPTB over at GH. Roger’s statement clarifies any misunderstandings that may have developed through recent GH rumors. Although Roger cleared the air and shared the truth behind his GH exit, one thing remains uncertain. Soaps are known for some wild casting shifts. And it just so happens that Howarth is iconically known for his role change-ups. Three different roles on one drama is impressive but can he match co-star Michael Easton at four?
Dr. Austin Gatlin Holt was shot and left to die. Immediately, GH fans feared the worst for their beloved character’s fate. It’s no secret that Roger Howarth has a dedicated Dan following. That said, it doesn’t really matter which time he played, Howarth was welcomed with open arms.
General Hospital spoilers and rumors regarding Howarth’s GH status after Austin was shot. Many feared the worst for Austin, dreading his sudden death. Meanwhile, other GH rumors speculated that Austin would recover. But those weren’t the only GH rumors surrounding Austin’s shooting. Additionally, GH fans mentioned the fact that they’ve killed off Howarth’s roles in the past, just to bring him back to the canvas as someone entirely new.
General Hospital BREAKING News: Austin Holt Dies Roger Howarth Exits GH
Sadly, GH fan’s fears have come true. According to GH news reports, Roger Howarth confirmed that his time at General Hospital is over. He took to Instagram to share the news, along with his gratitude for his experience at General Hospital. So many had hoped that Austin would live. But the love for this character came over time. At first, many were skeptical of the Pautuck doctor and mourned Franco Baldwin’s unexpected demise. Then, Austin began to grow on GH fans despite the fizzled ikr attempt at romance with Maxie (Kirsten Storms). Finally, Austin and Ava’s storyline brought fans to the edge of their seats as Cyrus pulled the strings.
Roger Howarth will truly be missed as we regret to confirm his GH Exit.
It looks as though Sam’s son Danny may be ill. Previews mention that Liz is heartbroken when she learns about Danny, and Sam gets some answers from Patrick. What could it be? Frank Valentini encourages to watch tomorrow’s GH to find out!
