General Hospital
ABC Executive Nathan Varni Posts Heartfelt Message To Jason Thompson and Kimberly McCullough As Patrick & Robin Say Farewell On Today's GH!
Courtesy/ABC
Today is the day that Scrubs have waited for, but it will be very bittersweet. Viewers will see the final performance of Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake, and as well for now that of Kimberly McCullough (Robin) and Brooklyn Rae Silzer (Emma).
ABC Network Current Series executive for General Hospital, Nathan Varni shared some special “thank you’s” in a heartfelt message to both Jason Thompson and Kimberly McCullough on his facebook page after watching last night the episode fans will see today. Varni also previewed Scrubs fans will indeed get a montage of Patrick and Robin’s romance through the years as part of the episode.
Varni shared: “Thank you to Jason Thompson for 10 wonderful years playing Dr Patrick Drake on GH and a special thank you to Kimberly McCullough for making this episode possible. Before I started working on GH, I first met Kimberly when she was going through the process of applying for the Disney/ABC Director program. I knew her obviously from watching GH but I found her to be so incredibly warm and personable as I sat on her interview committee in person, I was rooting for her to be accepted into the program and I’m so glad she was as she’s proven to be an amazing director! I’m so fortunate to have reconnected with Kimberly once I started working on GH and I can’t thank her enough with her busy schedule that she still makes the time to return to her family at GH when needed.
Courtesy/ABC
Beyond working on GH, I had the amazing good fortune to work with Jason on our digital series, GH Now! Jason’s amazing positive attitude on set and off was always infectious, one of the nicest actors I’ve met in my career. I’ll always remember Jason having a genuine smile on his face when he would greet me and was always up for anything when it came to pitching him ideas for GH Now! I hope you will join me Thursday in saying goodbye to Scrubs, thank you for the memories and the amazing performances over the years!”
What did you think of Nathan’s message? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as GH fans prepare for one final episode with the dynamic trio!
Breaking News
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
For those who were holding out hope that Daytime Emmy winner and fan favorite, Nicholas Chavez would be returning to General Hospital after filming his leading role in Ryan Murphy’s Monsters anthology, it looks like those hopes have been dashed.
According to a report from TV Line, although unconfirmed from General Hospital or a representative for Chavez, the actor will not reprise his role as Spencer Cassadine on the long-running ABC soap opera and continue the love story of Sprina opposite Tabyana Ali (Trina, GH).
Chavez was cast as Lyle Menendez over the the summer of 2023 for the second season of Murphy’s limited Monsters series on Netflix. In the upcoming season, the series will focus on the the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the two well-to-do Beverly Hills brothers accused of murdering their parents in 1989.
Photo: ABC
After word from Chavez casting was revealed, GH fans were concerned over the fate of the Sprina story, a spokesperson for GH shared, “We support Nicholas’ endeavors and look forward to having him return to General Hospital once this project is wrapped.”
In story, the series “killed off” Spencer when he went overboard with Esme to the steely waters below after being injected with a drug, thanks to Esme and falling into the Seine River in France. However, his body was never recovered, and believed to have drowned or washed away. Thus, leaving an opening for Spencer to return in the form of Chavez or be recast down the line.
Photo: ABC
TV Line shared that ‘multiple sources’ are confirming that Chavez is not returning to the ABC soap opera, which is what many had suspected might be the case once he left for this major starring role in a Ryan Murphy project. Chavez has been relatively quiet on social media for months.
Photo: ABC
The Michael Fairman Channel spoke with Nicholas Chavez for a virtual interview when he first joined the show in 2021, and spoke to him right after when he won the Daytime Emmy in 2022 – you can see those below.
No word yet on when Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story will debut on Netflix, but it is assumed later this year.
So, what do you think about the news of Nicholas Chavez not returning to his role as Spencer Cassadine on General Hospital? Comment below.
General Hospital
Jack Wagner Open to Making an Appearance in ‘Melrose Place’ Reboot and Shares, “You Never Really Die on a Soap”
With the Melrose Place revival the talk of the town, now Jack Wagner (ex-Frisco, GH, ex-Nick, B&B and ex-Peter Burns, MP) has weighed-in on it and if he would show up in the new series if it should find a home.
Currently, CBS Studios is developing a reboot starring Heather Locklear, Daphne Zuniga and Laura Leighton. But what is Dr. Peter Burns were to show up alive?
As those who saw the end of the original MP know, Peter and Amanda (Locklear) faked their deaths and then tied the knot with Peter on a beach, supposedly in a “happily ever after” scenario.
Photo: Fox
Speaking with PEOPLE, Wagner expressed, what we all know who watch the soaps, that no one is never, ever really gone for good. Jack expressed, “You never really die on a soap, right? How they unfold those two characters (Peter and Amanda), it’d be fantastic how they sort of tell that story.”
Wagner added, “That was a great finale to be included in, especially with Heather. If I’m asked to come back, I’d absolutely entertain that.”
Photo: Fox
The original Melrose Place aired for seven seasons from 1992 to 1999. The story featured the residents of an apartment complex, whose lives were intertwined. Eventually Wagner and Heather Locklear dated fro 2007-2011.
As previously reported, the new Melrose Place share that some of original neighbors and friends reunite after a death. The loglines add, “The pressure cooker of a reunion soon uncovers old traumas, rekindles old romances, reignites old resentments, and reveals new secrets… throwing our characters into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective.”
So, would you like to see Jack Wagner return as Dr. Peter Burns on Melrose Place, or Frisco Jones on GH, or both? Comment below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Brook Lynn and Chase Have Their Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties
On General Hospital, Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) both were treated to Bachelorette and Bachelor parties to shake off any of those pre-wedding jitters. At The Savoy, the ladies have a touching and fun time with Brook Lynn.
The bride-to-be gives a speech to thank everyone for coming, while Lois lets everyone know to try the signature cocktail the “Brooklynn Chaser”, which gets everybody eventually and mostly, drunk.
When Tracy (Jane Elliot) questions Lois (Rena Sofer) as to why there is no music for the party, Lois realizes she forgot, and somehow, who does she call to the rescue? Spinelli (Bradford Anderson)! Saving the day, he winds up playing some tunes and later gets on the dance floor to ‘shake it off’ with the gals.
Photo: ABC
Lois makes a speech as the mother of the bride, and shares how proud she is of the woman Brook Lynn has become. Wedding games begin, including one of “hot potato” with a wedding bouquet.
When it’s time for the “Silly Poses” section of the party, Spinelli has now morphed from DJ to staff photographer taking memorable photos of the ladies to remember the evening by.
Photo: ABC
The best part of the event, was when Brook Lynn tries to get her grandmother Tracy out on the dance floor, which, at first, she refuses. After several of the guests bust a move, a tipsy Tracy joins the dance party after Joss mentions that if her grandmother Bobbie was here, she would dance. Tracy says “she agrees” and begins to cut a rug on the floor, much to the delight of the other women.
Photo: ABC
In the final moments, a tipsy Joss and Kristina (Kate Mansi) have a confrontation about Sonny, and Joss lets Kristina in more on Sonny’s behavior, which looks to have clued in Kristina a bit more as to how something is way off about her dad.
Photo: ABC
Across town at the Hatchett Bar, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and the men with the exception of Anna (Finola Hughes) and Jordan (Tanisha Harper), all attend Chase’s Bachelor Party where throwing hatchets into a dart board for supremacy is the order of the day. Drew (Cameron Mathison) and Ned (Wally Kurth) get into some words over ELQ, while Dante makes a toast to his police partner, Chase.
Photo: ABC
Suddenly Dex (Evan Hofer) shows up. Chase thanks Dex for coming, but Dex gets some dirty looks from other cops on the force. Dante gives Chase his present, which is a signed baseball by the Boston Red Sox.
Ned (Wally Kurth) makes a speech that although no one is good enough for his daughter, Brook Lynn, Chase has come closer than anyone has, so welcome to the family. Running in at the end is Blaze (Jacqueline Grace Lopez), who just left Brook Lynn’s party, and she toasts her singing partner, Chase, and to the great man that he is.
Photo: ABC
What did you think of Brook Lynn and Chase’s pre-wedding celebrations? What was your favorite moment? Comment below.
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the only thing i can hear in that message is MEMEME!
I totally agree with your comments I have been watching GH for 30 years and will discontinue watching after Thursday episode this is anothe Luke and Laura moment
I have had it !
Lol! Exactly! MEMEME and more ME!
I have never seen a guy so desperate for attention and to be taken seriously. It really is no wonder that GH is where it is.
A manager, self described as there for quality control, basically to keep an eye on the network’s investment, is pitching ideas and doing interviews and PR for the show; making so much of it about him, his fifteen minutes and the minor celebrity he thinks he has with his three thousand Twitter followers.
His accolades and goodbyes to Scrubs are an insult. JT left because he was underutilized and relegated to nothing because the focus of TPTB is to gut GH of its history and legacies for the likes of the continued failures of Franco, Nina, Julian etc. But hey, Varni can get some fans to hashtag Julexis and Nico and show it to Sherwood and Lee as proof they’re popular when the ratings are still terrible.
Today another core/legacy family was dismissed from GH. That’s the bottom line. Not only is Patrick now gone with Robin, but we’ll never see Mac and Felicia again. Why would GH fans want to see them when they can get Howarth & Stafford? When they left OLTL and Y&R respectively, neither show missed a beat, many liking their recasts more, but somehow GH needs them and over popular GH characters like Mac, Felicia, Ric, Ned, Lucy, Kevin and on and on.
There’s nothing heartfelt about Mr. Varni’s goodbye when he makes sure to inform us how important he is and furthers the strategy of dismantling GH.
AJQ, your assessment of this gentleman’s motives seems spot-on to me. Jamey Gidden’s site is constantly mocking him for pretending to be “the face and voice of GH.” When have we ever known the name of a show runner — essentially the babysitter? And where may I ask were the hosannas for JT, KMc and Brooklyn from GH’s titular head, Frank Valentini? Does he no longer have a voice in the production that bears his name as executive producer? Is show runner Varni now also executive producer and head writer? Who indeed is in charge? And when a show runner works so assiduously to build his own public profile at the expense of the show and its staff, shouldn’t someone at the network be concerned?
I could not agree more, that is hilarious –MEMEME! Varni is unrelenting, he is posting on the show on every site that will have him, needless to say it does not include DC confidential. I find his GH unwatchable, I know RC went off the rails by the end, but he was forced to write to meet multiple agendas as well, including those of Geary and others. Varni is one of the problems with the show, he is the next one that needs to exit.
If he’s so admiring of JT then why didn’t he get GH’s writing staff to write him meaningful, leading man stories rather than placing Patrick on the back burner?
I couldn’t agree with you more Melissa! GH blew it in not doing a better job to keep JT!
And now we watch another amazing talent walk out the door….
I will never understand why they let JFP grab him but they did if RC was still writing they probably would have an exit line where Patrick tells Robin they are headed to Wisconsin. I noticed he is already on the cover of CBS Soaps in Depth with AH.
I am re-posting a message I just left on GH Facebook in response to Scrubs happily ever after today.
Happy for a Robin and Patrick wedding! I am NOT happy that JT is leaving!!!!! GH you didn’t do enough to keep him! He is a leading man and deserved that on-screen time and storyline! Concerned about your ratings with the actors leaving to work on #1 soap. I do not watch it, but with letting JT go you are giving me less to watch on GH!!!! I am a 30+ yr GH fan, but you are making it sad for me to see less of the GH legacy families and veteran actors!
Jason made it clear that he was the one who wanted to leave the soap, and after ten years, he wanted to see what else his career had for him. And I do not blame him. I’m sure the soap must’ve made attempts to keep him, but it’s obvious he just wanted to say good-bye to Patrick.
Thanks for being a voice of reason, Scott (ATWT Fan). Most — not all, of course, but most — actors creatively want a change after a certain length of time in any role. People become actors to try playing different characters. We don’t expect other people to stay in one job their whole life, why should actors be any different? Good luck to Mr. Thompson, and thanks for the memories!
I am sure GH tried some things, but just wasn’t enough. I read that JT wants to work and provide for his family. You need more screen time to work which usually means bigger storyline. Think back to other GH storylines or this Jason Morgan one and see how much time they get. JT is ready for that and that’s what Y&R offered and GH didn’t. So again I say GH blew it.
Jason Thompson had plenty of air time, i am not sure why so much claim that he wasn’t working enough. As others have said Jason Thompson chose to leave he felt it was time to try something different. Even if they offered him to be the main focus of GH and working every day, he wanted to move on. But I guess for some people its easier for to blame the shows producers and writers, and the network then to accept that the actor wanted to move on
Matt- You should really get your facts straight before you paint viewers as irrational and just blaming TPTB.
You might want to take a few minutes and read the interview that Jason did with Michael Fairman. Michael asked him point blank if Patrick being on the back burner and underutilized played a role in his decision and he made it very clear that it was and that he had several conversations with Frank about that very issue over the past year. That he wanted to have more work, more story, as he said to be trusted with a story and be part of the engine that moved GH forward.
He was clearly unhappy with the role and direction of his character and clearly states that and said it certainly factored into his decision. He even mentioned that he could have possibly waited a couple of more months to see if things changed but he was confident in his decision to leave; he obviously did not see things changing.
So it wasn’t as you say that he wanted to move on and try something different even if they offered him a main focus. It is clear from his words, from Michael’s interview, that wasn’t the case.
A bit late for praise. They lost Jason because of how they wrote and treated him.
You’re right, Kar. But, it’s so sad.
Off the theme, but, Felicia is beautiful. Also, there’s no place to say this….methinks Hayden has something slimy and sticky up her sleeve. It foes not bode well for Nik. OOOOOO, something big is ‘gonna’ drop on his head and squash him……at the eleventh hour. It’s a personal animus for what he did to her. She is on to him, yes?
Actors come and go in daytime. Can’t expect them to always be a lifer.
Wow. Varni is making this all about himself and HIS experience with the actors. Yeah, it’s great that Varni remembers that JT always had a smile on his face, but why not talk about the tremendous and valuable contributions that JT made to the GH canvas during his 10-year tenure? The addition of JT to the cast in 2005 arguably helped to revitalize hospital stories and the presence of young and upcoming medical professionals on the canvas. Nightshift was a fairly successful and original prime time spinoff that put Jason and Kim front and centre, and Varni doesn’t even mention this? Jason was also one of the actors who tirelessly promoted GH’s 50th a couple of years ago through engagement with the media and other related events. So thanks, Varni, for making this all about yourself instead of about the actor who invested so much in making Patrick Drake a beloved success.
All these people who are complaining that GH “let JT” get away probably have never left a job in their lifetime. People move on, they get burned out, they need new things. JT was going to leave. He was always working but he needed new challenges. Just because one actor stays with a show for 30 years doesn’t mean everyone has to stay that long. That is life and that is show business. You can’t be front burner day in day out for 20 years. I hope JT is happy at Y & R because GH actors there (besides Burton) don’t last very long. And taking on that character which has become a train wreck. Good luck!
This is how to do a proper send-off for an actor who made an incredible impact on the show & the network:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVP5PciuK0I
hi Kate,,’that was great fun to watch..
very good!
Thanks for sharing !!!!!
I will miss Jason as Patrick and Kimberly McCullough as Robin & Brooklyn as Emma and I hope for the best and I hope Gh never replace them also I want best for them and I know Jason will come to Young & Restless as Billy Abbot but won’t be same without him as Patrick Drake and also beautiful singing voice and I really hope he come back gh sometime and I gh keep us spot open in case he decides to come back they all should come back do family thing in nurses ball that be cool. I love Brooklyn singing voice but I hope she comes back as Emma and see her grandma Anna but You always want best but sad though that today their last scene and breaks my heart. Patrick & Robin & Emma perfect family I will always love that family and miss them.
That was a nice send off by a net excec. Nothing near that for the departure of Tony Geary from ABC? Maybe he was a pain in the azz after all? Ahh, still miss Luke!
Jason and Kimberly are class acts and thorough professionals–they appear to check their egos at the door unlike Tony Geary–marked difference. I admire Jason and your interview with him, Michael, proved him worthy of my admiration. And Kimberly–what can I say? After all her tragedies this summer, she came back for the storyline, for the fans, for her fellow actors. Classy lady. I wish them both much success. I’ll miss their warmth–and their great love story following the legacy of GH’s most worthy love stories. And TPTB allowed Tony Geary to singlehandedly dismantle the Luke and Laura love story. Boo! Hiss, to you, Tony Geary!
I love Tony but now I’m seeing with P&R how to leave a show! Someone posted a suggestion I love. Have Laura drift into a montage of L&L and put it to rest and lets let her move on with her “Spanky Buns kind of love like Luke did!”
That was a very nice heartfelt thank You to Jason and Kimberly. I myself as a fan of all three actors. Jason, Brooklyn, and Kimberly will miss them very much. They are all So talented. Brooklyn is So Gifted. Will miss Her Sweet smile on GH. Wishing All much success in Their next Acting Gig. Thank You All. A Devoted Fan.
I will miss the scrubs. I wish them the best in the future.
Emma is so beautiful. She has a great future.
Good luck to them all. Goodbye
For the loyal viewers it is always difficult to see a beloved character leave…
Their a part of our daily life, we become selfish in our need to hold on to
them. As actors it’s only natural that they need to explore different roles as
to become better at their craft…That’s the whole point of being an actor…
their chameleons at heart.
Very lovely send off today. Weird jumps from the wedding to scenes with Laura and Nik and Tracy, though.
There send off was sad. I loved all three of them.I think they will all be missed. Wishing them all much happiness with what they choose to do next. I hope they are blessed and have a wonderful great future.
I am NOT a scrubs fan, couldn’t care less about them not the way I am a JOLIE (JOLIAM) FAN!!!!!! GOOD LORD I MISS THEM SOOOOOOO, SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!
I have no idea who or what JOLIAM i, Kathryn. I do not fare well with acronyms associated with couples. Lol. Is it John and Natalie? (OLTL) if so, I’m with you. I still mourn their ‘passing’, and wish them happiness somewhere in the cosmos.