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!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair
After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!
In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.
Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.
MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP
Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!
At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC
BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY
Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”
LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER
In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?
So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.
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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.