After more than forty years of living in Port Charles, nurse Barbara Jean “Bobbie” Spencer (Jaclyn Zeman) is reportedly leaving the hospital. After a brief fight with cancer, the actress Jackie Zeman passed away on May 10th, 2023. Bobbie was a crucial member of the GH crew, but in recent years, we saw more of her at Carly Spencer’s (Laura Wright) kitchen table and less of her behind the nurses’ desk.
One of her more recent scenes included coffee with Carly as her daughter revealed her plans to change her last name from Corinthos back to Spencer. Was that an homage to Jackie’s character of nearly half a century? How will Bobbie leave her loved ones behind?
An Accident Is Most Likely
It’s unclear whether Bobbie will appear in any more scenes before her death, but it’s not likely. Most of the scenes for GH are filmed four to six weeks in advance, and Bobbie’s last air date as it stands at the time of writing this piece was April 27th, 2023.
Given that there hasn’t been any talk of her being ill since that time, it’s most probable that Bobbie’s character will be written off as having died in an accident. Something sudden and shocking will do the trick. But fans might take issue with this, despite the circumstances of Jackie’s real-life battle for her life.
Doesn’t Nurse Bobbie deserve more than the same off-screen death her brother was given? We have faith that the GH team will do this right, and we hope they gave her a say in it.
Tease the Tears Will Be Real
While her death may be portrayed as an accident or unexpected event on screen, the reality is that it’s going to be devastating for the whole cast — both in character, and outside of it.
Saying goodbye is never easy, and we can only imagine the heartache that lies ahead for those closest to her. It’s a somber reminder that life is precious and should be cherished every day.
Gone Too Soon
As the show mourns the loss of one of its key players, fans are left to wonder what will happen to the character of Bobbie Spencer.
Without her, it’s obvious that the show would need to take a new direction. However, it’s unclear what this will entail for important characters like Carly, Joslyn “Joss” Jacks (Eden McCoy), Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell), and others.
Carly doesn’t need any more drama in her life, but it sounds like she’s about to get knocked down by some serious grief. Who will be available to dry her tears? We can only express our sympathies to Jackie’s family at this time and be grateful for the memories she gave us via her performances. Watch this space for upcoming General Hospital news and spoilers.