GH Major SHAKEUP: Head Writer Jean Passanate RETIRES!

After taking over co-head writing reigns at General Hospital (GH) two years ago, Jean Passanante announced via Facebook this morning that she’s ready to hang up her writing hat and retire.

And her post told of her decision in a way only a writer could.

“Friends, soon I’ll have more time for pie-baking because I’ve decided not to renew my contract with General Hospital. I’ll retire from soap-writing in August.

“The irony is that Con Ed must replace a gas pipe, and they show no signs of doing that in the foreseeable future. So we have no oven.

“It’s like the Twilight Zone episode in which all Burgess Meredith wants is to read, and after a nuke drops on his town, he finds himself among the ruins of the library with all the books he can possibly read at his fingertips. And then he breaks his glasses.”

Passanante also told Soap Opera Digest:

“It gets to be a time when it’s just time. And it seemed like the right time. I do have other things that I’m interested in pursuing and I have a daughter who lives in Europe, who I want to visit whenever I can.

“I have been pondering it for a long time. It’s a pretty consuming kind of job and you need to get your head clear of it every once in a while. It’s been a great 27 years, or something like that — it’s a long time!”

Passanante has had quite a career in daytime, penning scripts for shows like All My Children, One Life to Live, As the World Turns, The Young and the Restless, and Another World.

It looks like co-head writer Michelle Altman is still sticking around, but there’s no word on whether GH will replace Passanante. Soap Hub will keep you informed as we know more.

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