Emma Samms Shares Excitement as She Returns to 'General Hospital' After Her Long COVID Battle

Courtesy Emma Samms

Emma Samms is returning to daytime soap opera General Hospital more than a year after falling ill from COVID-19.

In October, the 61-year-old actress will return to the ABC show as Holly Sutton.

"I'm thrilled that I get to play Holly Sutton Scorpio again after what has been a very difficult couple of years — not just for Holly but for me," she says. "Whilst she has been held captive by a mysterious kidnapper, I have been in the grip of long COVID, having contracted coronavirus in March 2020."

She adds: "I'm immensely grateful to Producer Frank Valentini and the writers for their understanding and willingness to accommodate my ongoing health issues. I can't wait to get back to Port Charles!"

Last year, Samms was supposed to fly to L.A. to begin filming a new storyline for the popular character, which she originated in 1982, but instead she got COVID, so her partner, BBC presenter Simon McCoy, had to film a single scene at her U.K. home.

Getty (2)

"The scene was dramatic with me banging on the door to get out because I've been held hostage. Simon, who's not really been around acting, was quite traumatized — a good sign, I think!" she told PEOPLE exclusively in a 2021 interview after her COVID diagnosis.

"Everybody said, '10 days and it will be over and you'll come out the other side,' " the soap star said at the time. "But some days I can barely get out of bed and it is the most incredibly frustrating thing."

RELATED: 'Dynasty''s Emma Samms on Living with Long Haul COVID: 'It's So Hard to Catch My Breath'

Courtesy Emma Samms

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Samms, who also starred on Dynasty, realized something else was wrong when she tried to return to her workout routine and couldn't complete it. Then, she tried gardening outside her home in the Costswolds, about two hours from London, but even that was too exhausting.

"The fatigue that comes with Long COVID is not regular fatigue, it's not where I feel a bit sleepy," Samms told PEOPLE, who added that she now keeps a packed bag at the ready in case she needs to make an emergency trip to the hospital. "It's the kind that you might imagine marathon runners feeling when you see them staggering over a finish line and they can barely stand up. Some days I don't want to get out of bed even if I have to go to the bathroom. Even that feels like too much effort."

RELATED: Dr. Anthony Fauci to Step Down in December as Nation's Top Infectious Disease Expert

Her experience, and her desire to find answers, prompted her to gather her former Dynasty castmates together for a virtual reunion to benefit Long COVID research in 2021. "I've been so encouraged by the support that all of my old castmates have given me," Samms said of last year's March 20 fundraiser.