Last Week Tonight host, John Oliver had his soap dreams come true on not one, but two long-running daytime dramas, heralding it his “hot soap summer” on the Sunday night, August 16 edition of his HBO series.

As viewers recall, Oliver’s tour of soap duty began back in March when he made a request and an offer to appear in any daytime drama that would have him with certain conditions, which included: having a ridiculous and over the top character name, a juicy storyline, and a slap.

Both Days of Our Lives and General Hospital came a-calling for Oliver, taking him up on his offer and in short order. Oliver appeared on GH in the role of the head of the WSB named  Z on episodes airing July 2-6, and then on DAYS in the role of Salem’s chief water inspector, Devlin St. John, in episodes that streamed the week of August 11.

Photo: ABC

FIRST STOP, PORT CHARLES

On Last Week Tonight, Oliver shared that both soaps delivered, and then launched into a comedic send-up complete with clips from some of his scenes. Starting with General Hospital.

Oliver said, “To General Hospital’s credit, they met all my requirements and more. First, my character got to arrive by a helicopter flanked by a pair of armed goons. And I got to do a dramatic walk during which I bravely shot in the general direction of a guy who was already on the ground. It’s called being an action star, by the way, unless you’re me or Vin Diesel, you really wouldn’t understand. And then in my next scene, I revealed my true identity. (Oliver played the scene where Josslyn wakes up in a hospital bed with Z standing at the side of her bed introducing himself).

He continued, “As for getting slapped, well, they knocked that and me out of the park too, because it turns out that agent’s mother was not happy with me,” explained Oliver, as they cut to the slap of Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) in the WSB Port Charles bureau office on Z. Oliver screamed, “YES! It has everything, a slap a dramatic closeup and me doing a voice so wrong, it is genuinely embarrassing. That was my honest attempt at an American accent. I can’t tell you why it’s southern. I can only tell you I was trying my hardest.”

Photo: ABC

SECOND STOP, SALEM

Then came John’s wrap-up of his role of Devlin St. John on Days of Our Lives, the town’s chief city water inspector. “It is on Days of Our Lives I appeared in scenes alongside soap legends like Jackée Harry (Paulina) and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie). And the Days of Our Lives team met my demands in a whole different way because instead of being an international spy boss, they wrote me a character a little more my speed.”

Cut to Oliver introducing himself as Devlin St. John to Rita. He explains, “I’m the only thing standing between this town and a catastrophic plumbing failure. A literal sewage apocalypse. Yeah. They made me Salem’s Chief City Water Inspector, which let’s be honest, is perfect casting. If you’re going to bottle my essence and sell it as cologne, it would be called ‘Chief City Water Inspector. ‘

DEVLIN’S WIG

The late night host also clarified all the reports that the wig he wore for his DAYS character he brought from home. Now, as for the hair, I agree, it’s absolutely incredible. It’s been reported this past week that it is a wig I brought to set from home. And while it wasn’t technically from home, we did actually provide that wig, and for good reason. I’ve seen myself act. I knew the hair was going have to do 90% of the work. I’ll be honest, I was going for a healthy John Stamos (ex-Blackie, GH) look, but instead, it appears I ended up looking more like Tina from Bob’s Burgers.”

Photo: Corday Productions

“And if you’re wondering whether I got slapped on Days of Our Lives, not only was I slapped by a man wearing elegant silk pajamas (EJ), I also got to slap him, which felt utterly incredible. But wait, I was also stabbed with a syringe and not once, not even twice, but three different times. And if that wasn’t enough, this happened too.” At that point, Oliver played the clip of Rita using the taser on Devlin.

Courtesy/Peacock

JOHN OLIVER LEAVES DOOR OPEN FOR A SOAP RETURN

The now late night star turned soap star concluded with, “Are you not entertained? Watching that makes me feel the way I assume Matt Damon felt after seeing the first cut of the odyssey, both proud and impressed that my body could even do that. Which again, you wouldn’t understand. You’re not an action star like I am now. ”

As he ended his recap, Oliver thanked both soaps for playing along, and noting that neither DAYS or GH actually killed him off! Could a John Oliver return happen down the line stay tuned.

Watch John detail his soap dreams come to life on General Hospital and then Days of our Lives below.

Now let us know, what did you think of the performances of John Oliver on General Hospital and Days of our Lives? Did you prefer one over the other or enjoy both of his guest arc visits? Could you see Oliver nominated in the Guest Performer category at next year’s Daytime Emmys, even for a 3-episode run on one of the soaps? Let us know in the comment section.

 

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UPDATED: Hayden Panettiere, the original Lizzie Spaulding of Guiding Light, and one of the leading stars of ABC’s country music drama Nashville, has died at the age of 36. According to a report on Sunday night, August 16 from TMZ, who broke the news of Hayden’s passing. Panettiere was also well-known for her role in the primetime series Heroes.

Sources close to the situation have told the outlet that Panettiere died on Sunday, although details of her death are still undisclosed, there is a current ongoing investigation into the matter. Brian Hickerson’s, Panetierre’s on-again off-again boyfriend and her flew from Los Angeles to South Carolina on Saturday. They reported, it’s a “sad situation.”

Now, in the early hours of Monday, morning August 17, new details have emerged that first responders and paramedics responded to a call from a friend (not confirmed at this time it was Brian Hickerson) at a home in Greenville, South Carolina at 1:51pm who said that Panettiere was unresponsive and in cardiac arrest.

Photo: CBS

PARAMEDICS CALLED TO THE SCENE

According to the outlet, first responders attempted to resuscitate Panettiere using “advanced cardiac life support.” In addition to CPR, this involved special medicines, breathing tubes and heart rhythm tracking. Parademics could not bring Hayden back to life and at 2:32pm, they called her death.

The Greenville County coroner is set to perform an autopsy Monday to determine a cause and manner of death and at present there is no indication that foul play was involved. According to dispatch audio, paramedics are called it an “overdose,” and “cardiac arrest.”

Meanwhile, the actress’ father, Skip Panettiere offered a up this statement to ABC News. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.” Her father asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Courtesy/ABC

FROM HER EARLY YEARS ON ONE LIFE TO LIVE AND GUIDING LIGHT TO HEROES AND NASHVILLE

Panettiere began her career at a very young age with roles on television and film including her Daytime Emmy-nominated role as the original Lizzie Spaulding, the daughter of Phillip (Grant Aleksander) and Beth Raines (Beth Chamberlin) on CBS’ Guiding Light. It’s a part she played from December 1996 until 2000. Before Guiding Light, Hayden also appeared on ABC’s One Life to Live as Sarah Roberts, the daughter of Cord (John Loprieno) and Tina Lord Roberts (then played by Krista Tesreau) from 1994-1997, and right up until she left to go to Guiding Light.

In primetime, Panettiere is remembered for her roles as Claire Bennet on the hit series Heroes (2006-2010) and as Juliette Barnes on the musical drama Nashville where she starred opposite General Hospital alum, Jonathan Jackson’s (ex-Lucky) role of Avery Barkley. Nashville ran for six seasons on ABC and them moved over to CMT for two final seasons (2012-2018).

In films, Hayden also starred in: Remember the Titans (2000), Raising Helen (2004), Ice Princess (2005) and as Kirby Reed in three ‘Scream’ franchise films including: Scream 4 (2011), and cameos in its sequel Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), to name but a few. Early on her film career, Panettiere, was the voice of Princess Dot in 1998’s A Bug’s Life.

Throughout her career, Panettiere earned Golden Globes, Critics Choice Television Awards, Teen Choice Awards and People’s Choice Awards for her role in Nashville. Her performance in Heroes landed her Teen Choice nomination and a Young Artist Award. She also won a Young Artist Award for her role in Remember the Titans.

Photo: JPI

HAYDEN PANETTIERE RELEASED MEMOIR EARLIER IN 2026

Back on May 19, 2026, Hayden released a memoir titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, which talked about her struggles from childhood to adulthood in front of the camera and off including her battles with alcohol and pill addiction, postpartum depression and more.

Sadly, Hayden’s brother Jansen Panettiere (pictured above), died suddenly back in February 2023 from cardiomegaly (enlarged heart) coupled with aortic valve complications. He was only 28 at the time of his death. Hayden told PEOPLE that she would never be able to get over her brother’s death, citing, “No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss.”

Panettiere is the mother to one child, her daughter Kaya Klitschko, 11, whom she had in December of 2014 with her ex-fiancé, heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

This is a developing story and Michael Fairman TV will provide updated information and details on the passing of Hayden Panettiere as they become available.

Now below, share your thoughts and prayers to the Panettiere family and your remembrances of Hayden via the comment section below.

Mark Rydell, one of the most highly-lauded motion picture directors in Hollywood, and who got his start acting on the soaps, has died. He was 97.

The news of his passing came from Bette Midler, who starred in The Rose, which Rydell also directed. Midler took to her Instagram on Friday, August 14 and shared the news.

Bette expressed, “Mark Rydell, the director or my first film, The Rose, died this morning. He was an actor of note before he became a director, and I was so lucky to have met him when I did; he taught me so much on The Rose and later on For The Boys. Two Oscars nominations both because of him. He was the actor’s whisperer; just a few words was all it took to understand what was needed.”

Photo: JPI

As soap fans know, Rydell got his first big break playing Jeff Baker on As the World Turns. The popular character was involved on-screen with then star of the CBS soap opera, Rosemary Prinz (ex-Penny Hughes). He stayed in the role from 1956-1962. When the producers wanted him to re-up his contract, Rydell decided to leave, and so the writers killed-off the character of Jeff in a car crash. Before ATWT, Rydell played Walt Johnson on The Edge of Night. 

MARK RYDELL DIRECTED SOME OF HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST STARS

After a busy career in primetime television roles, Mark began to direct in 1967 with the controversial feature, The Foxes. Because of his acting beginnings, Rydell was known as an actors director. Thus, began an enduring career in Hollywood directing films with some of movies biggest stars at the time including: Steve McQueen in 1969’s The Reivers, John Wayne in 1972’s The Cowboys, and James Caan and Marsha Mason in 1973’s Cinderella Liberty. In 1976, he also directed the pilot episode of the hit ABC domestic drama Family.

It was in 1979, that Rydell directed Bette Midler in her first feature film and lead role in The Rose, in which she was Oscar-nominated, and by 1981, the former soap star was directing the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda in On Golden Pond, for which he received his only Academy Award nomination as a director. He followed with The River (1984), For the Boys (1991), and many more through the years.

Rydell was previously married  from 1962 to 1973 to Joanne Linville who had appeared on Guiding Light, The Goddess, and 1976’s film version of a A Star Is Born. The couple had two children, Amy and Christopher. Later, a second marriage to Esther Rydell produced his son, Alexander, before ending in divorce.

Survivors include Rydell’s three children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Sad to hear of the news of the passing of one of the great directors of our time, Mark Rydell? Do you remember him as Jeff Baker on As the World Turns? Let us know via the comment section.

 

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