‘Blindsided’ Kelly Monaco is leaving ‘General Hospital’ after 21 years on the soap opera

A “General Hospital” shocker.

Kelly Monaco’s role on the ABC daytime soap opera is coming to an end after 21 years, The Post can confirm.

Soap Opera Network first reported the news of Monaco’s departure on Monday.

Monaco, 48, has played Sam McCall on “General Hospital” since 2003.

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According to Soap Opera Network, Monaco’s character will be killed off on the show this fall.

Sources said the actress was “blindsided” by the network’s decision to fire her.

The Post has reached out to reps for Monaco and “General Hospital” for comment.

Monaco joined the cast of “General Hospital” 21 years ago. Before that, she portrayed Livvie Locke on the “General Hospital” spinoff, “Port Charles,” from 2000 to 2003.

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The actress has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award two times. The first was in 2003 for her work on “Port Charles,” and the second was in 2006 for her role on “General Hospital.”

At the beginning of this year, Monaco was briefly replaced on the show by Lindsay Hartley.

Hartley, 46, previously filled in for Monaco in episodes that aired in 2020 and 2022.

Monaco had to take a break from the soap opera in the summer of 2020 while she quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19.

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“I must thank the amazing #GH fans for all the love and support they have shown me in the past couple of weeks,” Monaco wrote on X (formerly Twitter) as she addressed her absence from the show for the first time.

“It’s been a crazy year and I feel so blessed, grateful and humbled to be able to continue to do what I love…20 years and counting with @ABC…what an honor!”

In a second tweet, she thanked Hartley for stepping into her role while she was gone.

“I also wanna give a huge shout out to @lindsayhartley for stepping in and doing a beautiful job playing Sam,” Monaco wrote. “Girl…you kicked ass. Way to go.”

Monaco is also famous for winning the first season of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2005.

She returned for the show’s “All-Star” season in 2012. Monaco and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, came in third place.

Chmerkovskiy, 38, later made a cameo on “General Hospital” as a boxer.

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