'General Hospital' star Kirsten Storms abruptly replaced after sudden leave of absence
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‘General Hospital’ star Kirsten Storms abruptly replaced after sudden leave of absence

Do not adjust your sets.

Veteran actress Nicole Paggi has replaced “General Hospital” star Kirsten Storms, who had to miss the show for undisclosed reasons for several days.

Soap Opera Digest reported that Paggi would appear on the Dec. 27 episode, so it’s unclear how long Storms will be away from the ABC daytime warhorse, according to multiple reports.

An insider told The Post that Storms will be out “just for a couple of days.”

This is not the first time that Storms has been replaced on “GH.”

Maxie was temporarily recast in 2011, with Jen Lilley playing the part until Storms returned to “GH” the following year, according to Deadline.

The actress also took several leaves-of-absences from “GH” in 2016, 2017 and 2018, each of varying amounts of time, from several days to several months.

Kirsten Storms in 2014 at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.
Kirsten Storms in 2014 at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. FilmMagic

On those occasions, Storms was replaced by USA Network’s “Queen of the South” star Molly Burnett.

Storms also missed time on “GH” in 2021 after undergoing brain surgery; Maxie was not recast and her absence was explained by her leaving Port Charles with her baby to go to Texas, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Storms has starred on “General Hospital” since 2005.

She also played Isabella “Belle” Black on “Days of Our Lives” from 1999 to 2004.

GENERAL HOSPITAL - Kimberly McCullough (Robin), John J. York (Mac), Kirsten Storms (Maxie) and Sonya Eddy (Epiphany) in a scene that airs the week of March 15, 2010 on Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Daytime's "General Hospital."  "General Hospital" airs Monday-Friday (3:00 p.m. -  4:00 p.m., ET) on the Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Television Network.  GH010 (Photo by Adam Larkey/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) KIMBERLY MCCULLOUGH, JOHN J. YORK, KIRSTEN STORMS, SONYA EDDY
(From left) Kimberly McCullough, John J. York, Kirsten Storms and Sonya Eddy in a scene from a 2010 episode of “General Hospital.” Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

In April 2022, Storms revealed she had bipolar disorder to “GH” co-star Maurice Benard on his video podcast, State of Mind.

“I experience anxiety frequently. I have bipolar 1,” Storms revealed. “I easily get frantic about things. I felt flustered, fear and stressed. I am obsessed with being on time. I don’t know if you noticed, but I was exactly on time when I entered the building. I obsessively worry about that kind of stuff. I have had panic attacks about that kind of stuff. My psychiatrist tried to change one of my medications at one point, and I had an adverse reaction to it.”

But after starting bipolar medication, Storms says her life changed for the better and her mental health improved.

“I started on the bipolar medication and like within two weeks, and I am going to get emotional right now, my life literally just changed,” Storms admitted. “I felt like a normal person. It is a trip to wake up and want to make the bed in the morning, take a shower, get dressed, start your day, and not be consumed by all the things in your head.”