General Hospital Says Goodbye to Beloved Bobbie Spencer — and Actress Jacklyn Zeman — During Memorial (Exclusive)

General Hospital fans are going to need to stock up on tissues ahead of the emotional episodes premiering the week of Jan. 10.

New Year’s week, viewers will learn that their beloved Bobbie Spencer has died. While that’s enough to get the tears flowing, the long-running series will also air two emotional episodes on Wednesday, Jan. 10 and 11, where the town of Port Charles comes together to pay homage to Bobbie.

Five-time Daytime Emmy-nominee Jacklyn Zeman, who debuted on the ABC soap in 1977, died in May shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. She was 70.

Bobbie's farewell episodes will include characters from the past and present coming together to celebrate her life. This includes Maxie (Kirsten Storms), who has had a special connection to Bobbie since she was a young girl, Laura (Genie Francis), Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst), Scott (Kin Shriner) and Carly (Laura Wright).  Also featured in the heartbreaking episodes are Finola Hughes (Anna) and Lynn Herring (Lucy), who was Jackie's close friend in real life. Ryan Carnes, who played Lucas, will return for the tribute episodes, as well.

Bobbie’s daughter and her best friend, Carly and Felicia (Kristina Wagner) respectively, connect in a special way during the memorial, but a stranger’s surprise arrival unearths a shocking secret — and kicks off a mini adventure for the duo in Amsterdam, where they attempt to take care of Bobbie’s unfinished business. 

The two episodes are filled with twists and feature lots of surprises that make the most of the show’s history.

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.

“When we shot the memorial, the entire cast was there. And it wasn't just for Bobbie; it was for Jackie as well,” Wright told PEOPLE exclusively. “I mean, walking on set and seeing her photo, seeing all the pamphlets of like when you come to a memorial or a celebration of life, the pamphlet speaking about the individual and who is going to speak, it was bittersweet. It was about Jackie and everyone was so present. … It was like we as a cast got to really say goodbye.”

At the end of the second day of shooting, the cast and crew stepped outside into the daylight and were struck by what they saw — a rainbow over the studio. 

“It was incredible,” Wright said. “Everyone leaving the studio wasn't surprised. They were like, ‘Oh my gosh.’“ All agreed, that it felt like a gift from Zeman.

Bobbie’s memorial is just one of two major surprises that will kickoff 2024. The other is the General Hospital primetime special General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling, which airs Thursday, Jan. 4 on ABC. The network describes the special as “a fun love letter to the fans” that pulls back the curtain on six decades in Port Charles. 

The special will include a behind-the-scenes look at how ABC pulls together five episodes a week and features interviews with current cast members and former ones, including Amber Tamblyn and Rick Springfield. There is also a blooper reel to look forward to, as well as a tribute to Zeman.

"It definitely celebrates the storytelling and the writing, all the actors throughout the years, who have come on who were lucky enough to use General Hospital as a springboard into other things," Wright said. "It's super exciting. You see what it really takes to put a daytime show to together and how hard we work, from casting to writing, to directing, to producing. By the time it gets to the actors, it's a whole different ball game. ... And there are bloopers over years and surprise guests. There's so many surprises, people are gonna be like, 'Oh my gosh!' "

General Hospital holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins, taking home the prestigious Emmy Award a record 16 times.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC (check local listings).