After playing the role of Sam McCall in the ABC series “General Hospital” since October 2003, Soap Opera Network has only learned that Kelly Monaco leaves the daytime drama series after the network decided to eliminate her role.

According to sources, the character Sam McCall will be killed off and will be seen in Port Charles for the last time this fall. Sources also say Monaco was “blindsided” when it learned of the decision.

Before joining “General Hospital,” Monaco was best known for her role as Livvie Locke on “Port Charles,” a half-hour spinoff of “General Hospital.” Monaco played the character from 2000 to 2003, moving to the long-running hour-long drama after “Port Charles” was canceled.

Monaco has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards throughout her career, first in 2003 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in “Port Charles” and then in 2006 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in “General Hospital.”

In 2005, Monaco competed in the inaugural season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” where she won the coveted Mirror Ball trophy. She returned to the series in 2012 during the show’s 15th season, the “All Stars” season, where she and her professional dance partner placed third. Val Chmerkovskiywho later appeared as a boxer on “General Hospital.” Monaco returned to “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017 for the show’s 25th season and sang the rumba alongside Terrell Owens as his professional dance partner Cheryl Burke.

A final broadcast date for Monaco in “General Hospital” was not yet known at the time of publication.