General Hospital Fans React to Chris McKenna’s Exit as Jack Brennan
When news broke that Chris McKenna was reportedly leaving General Hospital, where he has been playing Jack Brennan for over a year, fans were shocked — and many were also upset, expressing their frustration over his imminent departure online.
Fans Sound Off Over Chris McKenna Leaving GH
“I am heartbroken!!” a viewer named Kelli posted to the comments on the Soap Opera Digest article regarding the actor’s exit. “I love Chris McKenna and have been following his career since he was Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live. I love him on GH and will be very sad to see him leave. I met him in person last weekend at the Montco Chocolate, Coffee and Wine Festival in Pottstown, PA, and he was so kind and friendly with all the fans who waited hours in line to meet him. What a class act and true gentleman. I will miss him.”
McKenna began acting as a tween, playing OLTL’s Joey Buchanan from 1990-93. From 2014-15 he portrayed Mark Harding on The Young and the Restless, and in 2016, he briefly took on the role of Dr. Hayden on The Bold and the Beautiful.
In February 2025, McKenna began airing as the new Jack Brennan on GH, taking over for the departing Charles Mesure. And though recasts can sometimes be challenging for daytime viewers to accept, McKenna soon began amassing a group of loyal supporters.
When McKenna took over the role of Jack, the WSB Director’s relationship with Carly (Laura Wright) was taking off. Their love affair fell apart when she found out he’d recruited her daughter, Josslyn (Eden McCoy), to join the WSB, but Jack’s now begun dating Nina (Cynthia Watros) — a budding romance that would be cut short by his portrayer’s exit.
“I’m just starting to like Jack Brennan because he has chemistry with Nina,” Cathy M Vaughan commented on the article. “They have the it factor… Please don’t kill him off or get rid of Jack. Give them a chance… I’m sure other fans feel the same way… Jack & Nina just starting out as a couple so please give them a chance & see where it takes them…” Replying to her comment, Dale added a very simple: “Agree.”
On X (previously Twitter), fan @DigitalDaisy7 commented on Digest‘s post about McKenna’s exit by declaring, “I certainly hope they change their mind. He is a great actor and this is one of the best new characters to come around in a long time. Plus, he’s great with Nina.”
What Will Happen to Jack on GH?
With reports of McKenna’s exit saying that his character will be killed off, many fans are jumping to the same conclusion. “Willow strikes again?!?!?!?!?!” Donna Chiaradio mused in the comments on Digest‘s official Facebook page. In the same thread, Diane L. Johnson predicted: “I think Willow will kill him and set Michael up for the murder.”
Some are also wondering if Jack’s supposed demise will come with a twist, as was the case with another recent departure: While everyone in Port Charles believes Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) to be dead, he’s actually in WSB custody. “Are they really killing him off, or will he be Cassius’ roomie?!” wondered Deborah Regula on Facebook. And Daytona Winchester suggested, “He probably won’t be dead dead, but soap opera ‘dead’ lol so they can bring him back.”
Others wondered what Jack’s departure means for WSB operations in Port Charles, with many making the same joke that Cindy Williams did on Facebook when she commented, “And then they will make Josslyn the station chief. 🤣” Although elsewhere in the thread, Grace Albano Kelliher had another idea: “I think Jason will take over Director of WSB position!”
Kaylee Cordray has already started a petition on Change.org, hoping to gather enough signatures from fans to convince GH to reverse their decision and keep McKenna — and Jack — on the canvas.
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