Why did Sam leave General Hospital?

KELLY Monaco was fired from General Hospital after 21 years on the hit ABC soap opera.

The Sam McCall actress was left "blindsided" by the axing after starring in over 2,200 episodes.

But why was Kelly written out of the show?

Why did Sam McCall leave General Hospital?

Kelly, 48, first joined the medical drama in 2003 and quickly became one of the most-loved characters.

Her departure sent shockwaves after it was first announced in August this year.

She was hailed as the "most popular" character on General Hospital by devastated fans after they heard the news.

Last month Kelly shared a snap of her last scene on social media and told followers that her exit "still doesn't make any sense to me".

She deleted the post shortly after.

Kelly hit back at claims that she left the show because she "didn't take the pay cut," telling fans to "do their homework".

"When Billy Miller was fired, Sam's storyline stopped. Stripping Sam of every characteristic she had," Kelly wrote.

"Something I worked for decades to build… Slowly dismantling her, into a character that I did not recognize, let alone the audience.

"Call it what you will… retaliation at it [sic] finest. I will give a proper statement. The truth will set you free.”

How did Kelly Monaco's character die?

In Kelly's final episode on November 1, viewers watched as Sam donated her liver to Lulu Spencer.

But Sam suffered a heart attack after the surgery.