Why Is Steve Burton Leaving ‘Days of Our Lives’? Inside His Departure From the Soap Opera

Steve Burton is once again saying goodbye to his role of Harris Michaels on Days of Our Lives. The actor announced his departure from the soap opera just one year after returning to the program following a long hiatus.

When Did Steve Burton Join ‘Days of Our Lives’?

Steve first joined the cast of the long-running series in 1988. He only stayed on the show for a year before moving on to pursue other roles. In 1991, the Indiana native landed the part of Jason Morgan on General Hospital.

Steve announced he was leaving General Hospital after 21 years on the show in August 2012.

“[GH has] been nothing but a huge positive in my life and for my family. I have no complaints, no negative feelings at all. But it’s time to go,” he told TV Guide Magazine at the time. “I’m going to take some time off and do nothing but relax, just enjoy life a little bit with my wife and kids.”

In June 2017, it was revealed that the Daytime Emmy winner would be returning to the ABC series to reprise his role. Four years later, Steve left General Hospital for the second time after failing to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate enforced on set. The soap opera star quickly booked another gig shortly after, this time returning to the Days of Our Lives franchise and its spinoff Beyond Salem.

“Look, the circumstance [of my GH departure] was tough and you know, that’s just the way it is,” he told Deadline in July 2022. “I’ll always be grateful for my time there. It was my family for so long. I grew up there and the fans have always been awesome to me. But again, some doors shut and other doors open and here we are in Beyond Salem. Wow.”

Why Is Steve Burton Leaving ‘Days of Our Lives’?

Just when Days of Our Lives fans were getting used to seeing Steve as Harris Michaels on their screens again, he announced he was leaving the show for the second time.

“Wow! Well, I just shot my final scenes here on Days of Our Lives and I just want to say, thank you so much to the cast [and] to the crew. It’s been amazing,” the TV star said in a video posted on Daily Drama’s YouTube channel in January 2024. “I can’t believe it’s been a year already! So, thank you so much to the fans. It’s just … I’m always so full of gratitude. So, thank you. Stay tuned.”

Just before closing this chapter of his career, Steve revealed that he and his wife, Sheree Burton, split after more than two decades of marriage.

“I wanted to clear something up,” he wrote in an Instagram Story in May 2022. “Sheree and I are separated. She recently announced that she’s expecting her fourth child. The child is not mine. We are still coparenting our three beautiful kids. We would appreciate privacy at this time. Much luv, Steve.”

The former couple, who wed in 1999, share kids Makena, Brooklyn and Jack. Their divorce was officially finalized in December 2023.