News
EX-OLTL star, Catherine Hickland's "Love in the Afternoon" blog on cancellation of ABC Soaps!

Courtesy/ABC
Who doesn’t remember one of the greatest all-time feuds on daytime, between Nora Buchanan and Lindsay Rappaport! That feud happened on the just cancelled soap, One Life to Live! Lindsay was played brilliantly for years by none other than Catherine Hickland, who played opposite Hillary B. Smith as Nora.
Now Hickland, after the decimation of the ABC Daytime lineup by ABC Daytime President Brian Frons last Thursday, has posted her feelings and thoughts on the matter on a new blog titled: Love in the Afternoon! Remember, when ABC Daytime used to have that theme as part of their soap opera promo initiatives? Those were the days! Here are some juicy excerpts below from Cat herself:
Hickland on fans devastation since OLTL & AMC cancellation: “Last week, all of us who have been touched so monumentally by daytime, either being a disrespected fan, or a disrespected participant, are angry, sad, and in disbelief. To think that we will no longer be able to see characters that we have come to consider our own is a very odd feeling. It feels like a death in the family. It is why soaps have had the following they’ve had for nearly half a century! Your characters in your stories have made you feel the gamut of emotions from A to Z. Every day! Soap actors and audiences dance a dance. We laugh together, cry together, survive together and love together. That’s what makes a family. Whenever I would hear you-know-who make a speech and call us the “ABC family,’ it made my skin literally crawl. You don’t treat your family like they don’t matter. Someone is counting on the fact that today you are all whipped into a frenzy, and that tomorrow and next week you will have forgotten and forgiven. Say it loud. WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE OR FORGET.”
Hickland on Frons: “From the get go it was very clear to those of us who had been through many regimes that you-know-who did not like soaps. It always felt as if he was in contempt of them. We actors said it all the time, it was very hard to understand. That’s a hard pill to swallow when you love the genre. It’s hard to know what will make something work, and then watch it being absolutely decimated by someone you have not one iota of respect for. Good and important people to the shows were fired, moved to another state, and then salaries were cut. Not necessarily for the best intentions. After all, they had to find those funds to pay big money for the girl of you-know- who’s fantasies De Jour. This in turn created animosity in the casts. It starts at the top, they say. Indeed. Poison trickles down and infects companies like a cancer, damaging morale that is nearly unfixable. In my 27 years of acting, In the five regimes I worked under at that network alone, I have never seen anything like it. In 30 years as an entertainer, I can not recall a more reviled executive.”
Make sure to read the entire blog post from Catherine!
Dancing with the Stars
‘DANCING WITH THE STARS’ Unveils Full Cast and Pro Partners for Season 35

The official reveal of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars Season 35 celebrity cast and their professional dance partners were announced on this morning on September 2 on Good Morning America.
General Hospital’s Cameron Mathison (Drew Cain), a former DTWS contestant, was one of the hosts of the introduction of the full cast this morning on GMA, where Mathison has also been a celebrity correspondent throughout his career.
The ballroom-dance competition will once again be co-hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli also returning. While there has been four previously released celebrity contestants, the full list was released today which includes: a former Y&R actress in Tatyana Ali (ex-Roxanne), double Paralympic gold medalist and American track and field athlete, Ezra French, Grey’s Anatomy’s Harry Shum Jr. and actress Julia Stiles.

Photo: ABC
The two-night Dancing with the Stars premiere event takes place Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept 16, at 8pm EST/7pm PST. on ABC and Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu.
WHO’S COMPETING FOR THE LEN GOODMAN MIRROR BALL TROPHY?
Take a look at the celebrity contestants and their pro partners below.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana Ali with partner Jan Ravnik
TV personality and host Tyler Cameron with partner Sharna Burgess
Celebrity chef and host Giada De Laurentiis with partner Alan Bersten
Star of The Rookie Jenna Dewan with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
Paralympian gold medalist Ezra Frech with partner Daniella Karagach
Olympian gold medalist Amber Glenn with partner Pasha Pashkov
From “Hanson” Taylor Hanson with partner Britt Stewart
Reality star and model Maura Higgins with partner Mark Ballas
From The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Conner Leavitt with partner Adele Zaikman
Reality star and host Ciara Miller with partner Brandon Armstrong
From Love Thy Nader Sarah Jane Nader with partner Hailey Bills
“Savannah Bananas” star Jackson Olson with partner Emma Slater
From Jimmy Kimmel Live Guillermo Rodriguez with partner Witney Carson
From Grey’s Anatomy Harry Shum Jr. with partner Jenna Johnson
Film and TV star Julia Stiles with partner Ezra Sosa
Comedian and podcaster Connor Wood with partner Rylee Arnold

Photo: ABC
DANCING WITH THE STARS COMPANION SHOWS WITH ANDY RICHTER AND ROBERT IRWIN
In addition, the Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast returns for a second season with a new host, Season 34 contestant Andy Richter, sharing cast interviews, special guests, behind-the-scenes insights and expert breakdowns of the performances, beginning on Thursday, September 10 with episodes airing every Thursday on Disney+ and Hulu, and wherever you get your podcasts.
And for more, season 34 Mirrorball Champion Robert Irwin, will preside over the “DWTS After Party” which finds viewers immediately following “Premiere: Night Two,” checking in with eliminated contestants and breaking down the best moments with “DWTS” alumni with never-before-seen footage and special teases. The aftershow airs live beginning on Wednesday, September 16 at 10:00 p.m. on ABC and Disney+ and streams next day on Hulu.
Four members of the cast were previously revealed as mentioned above: Higgins and Miller were introduced at Hulu’s Get Real event in April. Olson was announced in May, and Rodriguez was announced in June on Jimmy Kimmel Live! by Kimmel himself.
So, what do you think of the cast of season 34 of Dancing with the Stars? Does it intrigue you enough to make you check-in and see the new line-up hit the ballroom dance floor? Who do you wish was competing on the celebrity side that is not? Who do you think on paper looks to have the edge in the competition? Let us know via the comment section below. But first, you can check out GH’s Cameron Mathison and company asking the new cast of DWTS questions and their reactions for the upcoming new season.
General Hospital
Chris McKenna Speaks Out on His Exit from ‘General Hospital’ and Thanks Fans for ‘The Support You’ve Shown Me and Jack’

On the Tuesday, September 1 episode of General Hospital, the body shown floating in the Metro Court pool was identified as Jack Brennan, ending the run of daytime veteran, Chris McKenna, in the role of the WSB Port Charles bureau chief.
McKenna began his time on the ABC soap opera back in February 2025, after replacing Charles Mesure who decided to leave the show. As it turned out, McKenna actually wrapped almost three months ago in June and has been keeping mum, even though reports surfaced that he was exiting the show come fall and Brennan would be killed-off.
Now as a murder mystery begins, McKenna took to his X account on Tuesday, and shared these heartfelt words and clarification, starting with, “Hey, everyone. Just want to say how moved I’ve been by the support you’ve shown me and Jack. As you now know, I left the show months ago, wrapped in June. I’ll say more once my exit interview runs. Until then, from the bottom of my heart- Thank You.”

Courtesy/ABC
THERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER
Then, in said “exit interview” with TV Insider, Chris confirmed, I did my last episode in June, so I’ve had a few months to adjust.” He also added how bittersweet it was when he found out it was the end of the line for Jack.
“It’s disappointing how it’s ending right now, but this was a gift,” expressed McKenna. “Between my son being born and having this place to go to work for the past couple of years, this has been just a fantastic time, and it’s been so much fun. I got to be introduced to an entire new legion of soap fans who weren’t familiar with me, got back into the daytime world and did some powerful work I’m really proud of, so it’s been a great experience. I have no complaints.”
Previously, Chris played a young Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live where he got his first big break from 1990-1993. Decades later, he took on the role of Mark Harding on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2015.

Photo: CMcKennaIG
CHRIS MCKENNA AND PAIGE HERSCHELL LEARNED THE SAME DAY THEY WERE BEING WRITTEN OFF
While Chris did not get a major exit scene with lots of emotion or dialog, he still appreciated a departure by water! “I would have loved to have had a big, heroic martyrdom or a big grand speech. Unfortunately, I just played my dead body floating in a pool for two days,” joked Chris.
As it turned out, Chris wasn’t alone in finding out he was being pink-slipped from the soap. He learned the news the same day as Paige Herschell found out they were writing Jacinda out as well.
McKenna had one hope for the story in the months to come adding, “Though it’s not the end I woulda chosen for Jack, I hope this generates months of riveting television around ‘Who killed Brennan?’ And I hope that Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) killed him. It’s time she graduates to full-on murder.”
So, what do you think of the events that transpired of when and how Chris McKenna learned he was exiting General Hospital as Brennan? Who do you think murdered Jack? Are you sad to know that today marked his final episode (unless there may be flashbacks?) of Chris’s GH run? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
News
Kelly Clarkson Signs Off From Her Daytime Talk Show With Music ‘By Request’, Her Children and Heartfelt Goodbyes

The Kelly Clarkson Show aired its last episode on Monday, August 31 after seven seasons on the air, plenty of Daytime Emmys, and leaving a large hole in the talk show day-part.
Going out on plenty of high notes with an hour of a special edition of “Kelly Clarkson By Request,” the Grammy-winning vocalist performed songs of hers and others as selected by fans in the studio audience, as she reflected along the way in the most personable of ways.
Before she kicked off what would be the grand finale, Clarkson addressed the crowd stating, “It is a bittersweet day for all of us. After seven amazing seasons, it’s our final episode.”

Photo: NBCUniversal
AN HOUR OF MUSIC CLOSES OUT THE TALK SHOW
Clarkson explained the decision of a day of all-music to close out her run: “From the very first episode, music has been the cornerstone of this show. We’ve done over 1,000 Kellyokes, talked to hundreds of guests about songs that inspired their work, and then everyday people who’ve used the power of music to transform their lives and the lives of those in their communities. We even created a segment dedicated to honoring others’ work because I’m a super fan of other artists, ‘Songs & Stories,’ we’ve really enjoyed that, a lot of life heroes I was able to sing with on the show, a blessing. Music is simply the way we connect with everybody, so we hope you’ve enjoyed it.”
She added that, “This hour is dedicated to everyone who’s been so supportive for seven seasons.” Clarkson sang many songs from her iconic career including: “Since U Been Gone,” “Sober,” “Stronger,” “Piece by Piece,” and debuted a brand new single entitled “I’d Be Lyin.”
However, the topper was her rendition of the Oscar winning track “Golden” from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack. For months, people have wanted to hear Clarkson sing the tune, because not many vocalists can hit the high notes so perfectly live, and Clarkson hit it out of the ballpark, as expected.
KELLY AND HER KIDS
Before the curtain came down on The Kelly Clarkson Show, her children, River and Remy, were in the audience and she introduced them and asked each what would they miss most about the talk show.
Kelly’s son Remy shared, “I liked talking to Jason Momoa and singing with the band,” while her daughter, River made her cry when she said, “I liked watching you shine every single day.”
In the end, River and Remy joined their mother on stage, where Kelly said her farewell, leaving viewers with the following message after thanking everyone behind the scenes at the show.
WORDS OF WISDOM
“For seven years, I’ve ended each episode by saying, ‘Have a great day, and if it’s not, change it.’ I say that because while we have to accept that life is totally out of our control, each moment, though, truly depends on how we choose to respond or react to it,” she said. “You don’t have to attend the negative party you were invited to, I’ve been told by a therapist, so there you go,”
Kelly continued, “And if you remind yourself once a day that you have that choice, you know to respond how you really want to be and who you really are inside, I promise that habit is going to become a part of you, and your life will respond to you in return.”
Finally, she left us with, “I loved being in your homes each day. I’ve loved seeing my kiddos grow up on this show as well. I have immeasurable gratitude for everybody, the crew, the band, everybody here, the audience of years. Thank you so much. It’s been an incredible opportunity. Thank you for connecting with us one last time from this chapter.”
As the credits rolled, Clarkson add one last thought, “Before we turn the page, have a great day, and if it’s not, change it.”
Now below, take a look at Kelly’s last words on The Kelly Clarkson Show and her performance of “Golden.”
Let us know, will you miss The Kelly Clarkson Show on your daytime TV viewing? What did you think of the final episode? Share your thoughts as daytime loses one of its better talk shows in recent years from the TV landscape.
-

Days Of Our Lives3 days agoSuzanne Rogers Returns to ‘Days of Our Lives’ in All-New Episodes
-
General Hospital6 days ago‘General Hospital’ Alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez Lands Role in Action-Thriller ‘Supermax’
-

Breaking News1 week agoDolly Parton Remembered: Y&R Alum Alyvia Alyn Lind Shares Heartfelt Tribute to the Legendary Singer and Songwriter
-

General Hospital2 days agoHas Jasper Jacks Been Recast on ‘General Hospital?’
-

News3 days agoRATINGS: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Loses Most Viewers Week-Over-Week; But All Soaps Up Year-Over-Year
-

Days Of Our Lives1 week agoBrytni Sarpy Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’
-

General Hospital1 week agoGENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Is This the End for Brennan?
-
General Hospital4 days ago‘General Hospital’s’ Sawandi Wilson Marks 2-Year Anniversary as Dr. Isaiah Gannon with Heartfelt ‘Thank You’ Video to ‘Best Fans in the Universe’














I second what Michael said: Make sure to read the entire blog post from Catherine. The post makes Robin Strasser’s comments look meek (no offense to Robin). After reading Catherine’s comments I can’t imagine how intolerable and sickening it must be working for ABC Daytime.
I am so disgusted with Abc ! I really hope they wake up and realize what Brian Frons is doing to their network. The fact that they let him treat their employees like crap,says alot about them…..and none of it’s good! I will not be watching anything on their network once these two shows are gone.
Tell it like it is, Catherine!