GH's Alderson gets an almost-Valentine's 'goodbye

RECAST: Y&R's Hayley Erin to take over the role of GH's Kiki Jerome

After a lengthy run in daytime television, Kristen Alderson bows out of Port Charles this week.

As Soap Central previously reported, General Hospital's Kristen Alderson (Kiki Jerome) has exited the world of soaps, and it looks like this is her final week in Port Charles.

The actress posted a Twitter heads-up to fans, announcing that she believes this week is her last week airing on the ABC soap. "Looking forward to u guys seeing the sort of 'goodbye' [head writer Rob Carlivati] created," she wrote.

Alderson spent 17 years as part of ABC Daytime, first as One Life to Live's Starr Manning -- a role she won when she was just six years old -- and then as GH's Kiki, a role that was created for the actress as a result of the Prospect Park/ABC lawsuit that arose after OLTL continued in Internet form following ABC's cancellation of the series.

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For a video message from Alderson explaining her decision to leave GH, check out a previous Soap Central article here.

Meanwhile, fans can look forward to seeing Alderson's replacement, former The Young and the Restless star Hayley Erin, in the role at the end of this month.

UPDATE: Oopsie! Alderson is on vacation in Hawaii, and we're thinking the fun and sun may have altered her calendar: Carlivati stepped in to alert both her and us that Kiki's final appearance actually happens on Monday, February 16. So it looks like she'll be getting an after Valentine's week farewell!

Will you be crushed to no longer see Alderson on a soap opera? Do you think the show was smart to recast the character, or would it have been better to just let her leave the canvas along with Alderson? Share your thoughts in our Comments section below, on our message boards, or by submitting Feedback.

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