General Hospital’s Laura Is Finally Coming Home — Here’s When!

For many longtime fans, Genie Francis is the face of General Hospital. And while none of us begrudge the actress her time off, we can’t help but miss her grounding presence, not to mention that of her alter ego, Laura.

That’s been especially true as much of the Port Charles action has revolved around Laura’s daughter, Lulu, and the fight to save her life.

This week saw Jonathan Jackson’s Lucky return to Port Charles, but we couldn’t help thinking, “Laura needs to be here for this!”

Storyline wise, Mayor Collins and her hubby, Kevin, have been off looking for Lucky, unaware that he’d been located and brought home by Jason and Anna.

Fortunately, it seems someone will finally be able to contact the globetrotting pair, because Francis — and Laura — return next week.

According to Soap Opera Digest, we should mark our calendars for Wednesday, October 9. It’s also reported that some of Francis’ first scenes are with Jackson, and that they’ll take place at a critical point in the Lulu story.

What’s not known is exactly when Alexa Havins, who has been cast in the role of soon-to-awaken Lulu, will make her first appearance.

More: What you need to know about the new Lulu

We’re not the only ones thrilled to have Francis back. Just before his return to the canvas, Jackson admitted to TV Insider that working with his TV-mom again “was a big personal incentive to come back” because “I always kind of felt like I missed out on working with her as an adult.”

Last seen in late August, when she and her husband, Kevin Collins (Jon Lindstrom), set off to find Lucky, who, at the time, was being held captive in a refugee camp somewhere in Africa, Laura is set to have an emotional reunion with her son on the Thursday, October 10 episode.

Scenes between Francis and Jackson will mark the first time the two will have shared screentime together since 2015 when the latter briefly reprised his role to help celebrate the retirement and subsequent exit of Anthony Geary, who played Luke Spencer on the series. Additionally, with Jackson back on contract, this also makes it the first time in 25 years that both he and Francis will appear simultaneously on “General Hospital” in said capacity.

Francis’ return comes as the daytime drama series has been ramping up the Spencer family with the additions of Alexa Havins (ex-Babe Chandler, “All My Children”) as Laura’s daughter, Lulu Spencer, and Van Hansis (ex-Luke Snyder, “As The World Turns”) as Lucas Jones, cousin to Lucky and Lulu.

While a debut date for Havins has not been set, Hansis made his first appearance on the series on Friday, October 4.