General Hospital star Tristan Rogers has been diagnosed with cancer, just eight months after leaving the soap.
The 79-year-old Australian-born actor is currently in hospital for treatment.
Rogers’ representative Anthony Turk has confirmed the news via a press release, Deadline reports.
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Turk said Rogers is working “closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family.”
“As they face both the emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis, the family kindly asks for privacy and understanding. They are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and love from their friends and family.”
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“Tristan sends his love to his fans and wants them to know how much he appreciates their loyalty and encouragement over the years.
“This support means more to him now than ever.”
Rogers played Robert Scorpio on General Hospital and on spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift for much of his career.
He first joined the long-running soap in 1980 and remained on the show for 17 years.
His character was killed off in 1992 but in a classic soap trope, Scorpio returned alive in 2006.
Upon his return, Rogers told Soap Opera Digest in 2018: “Robert has always had kind of a glib approach to everything; he’s a bit of a smart-mouth.
“I’m working with a lot of different people … And I think the fans are going to like it.”
His final appearance on the show, for the 62nd season, which aired on November 12, 2024, saw Scorpio leave the town of Port Charles with his ex wife, Holly Sutton.
Of his time on the show, Rogers told PEOPLE in 2023: “I’ve seen this show at its best and at something less than that.”
Rogers also starred in The Bay, Studio City and The Young and the Restless as well as The Love Boat.
In 2020, Rogers won the 2020 Daytime Emmy Award for his work on Studio City which airs on Amazon Prime.
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He told Digital Journal: “Thank you, that was exciting. I was numb. If you saw a reply of it, I kind of froze, and then I got my equilibrium.
“There was a raging party going on next door so I couldn’t hear myself think. I wish my wife, Teresa, would have been there to celebrate with me. Now, I am just waiting for the award to turn up.”
Tristan Rogers was born in Melbourne. His early acting roles included Bellbird, Number 96, The Box, The Link Men, Barrier Reef and Division 4.
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He also starred in the miniseries Power Without Glory and joined the cast of British films including Four Dimensions of Greta and The Flesh and Blood Show.
Rogers then moved to the US where he landed the coveted role on General Hospital.
The actor has been married to Teresa Parkerson since 1995. They have two children – daughter Sara Jane, 32, and Cale, 28.
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