General Hospital
Exec Prod Frank Valentini On GH’s Return with New Episodes: “There is a Bang and a Surprise and a Twist”
Monday, General Hospital will finally be airing a new episode – the first in months due to COVID-19 – which had previously shut down production of the show. Now with safety protocols in place, GH will become the first ABC network show back on TV with original installments.
GH’s executive producer, Frank Valentini spoke to ABC 7 Los Angeles’ entertainment guru George Pennacchio on the legacy soap opera’s return and picking up the story where things left off.
Valentini offered up for Monday’s episode: “The very first few seconds of the show, I think, will blow a lot of the audience’s mind because there’s a big surprise that we inserted in.”
Meanwhile, viewers know that their is a major custody case going on for Wiley/Jonah, and that Mike’s (Max Gail) battle with Alzheimer’s could wrap in the coming months if the story continues as it had before the shut down.
However, Valentini shared that fans have some very exciting things to look forward to on GH: “There is a bang and a surprise and a twist and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
In addition, Pennacchio reports that the GH Nurses’ Ball will return sometime in August, which usually airs in May, but didn’t, because of COVID-19 this past spring.
As to how GH will handle the love scenes, the kisses, and the intimate moments between characters which are a staple of the genre during the health crisis, Frank expressed:”Physical intimacy is limited. We’re going to leave a lot more to the imagination.”
So, what surprises do you think are in store as previewed by Valentini when GH returns with new episodes? Comment below.
Well, assuming there’s no time jump due to the missing months, and they pick up where they left off, then I sure as Hell hope the “big surprise” isn’t anything to do with Psycho Nelle being Nina’s daughter……
We know Dante’s coming back, but I doubt we will see him on Monday. While it’s logical to assume he might come back due to Mike’s rapidly declining health, he might just have a “work-related” reason to turn up in Port Charles, and my guess that it will have something to do with Cyrus the Virus. Maybe Dante knows what the real deal is between Cyrus and “cousin” Brando. In any case, let’s hope Dante sticks around for a while.
As far as the Nurses Ball, I think they should skip it this year. You can’t have “live acts” (most are lip-synced, but fake live anyway) in a crowded hotel ballroom in the current mortal reality. What are they gonna do, have all the acts perform remotely via Zoom (Like Stephen Colbert has been doing with the musical performances on his show during the pandemic)
Pretty sure Dominic Zamprogna is back full-time.
OK, a Devil can admit when he missed a call… They actually DID bring Dante back first thing. Literally the first scene.
Though Frank’s own words were they “inserted” this in, so my interpretation is that this was not part of the original script for today’s show, and we probably won’t be seeing Dante full time for a while. This is much like the way we saw a 5 second appearance of Ian Buchanan on GH literally the same day he left Days, but he didn’t have any further appearances on the show for a few months… and then even those turned out to be Faison in a stupid mask.
So let’s hope they don’t repeat that stupidity… and that Dante is actually Dante when he sets foot in Port Charles.
We can only hope!
Of course we left off in the court room! I hope Nina sees the other half of her necklace!!!! In Nelles hand !!!
Heeey Satan 🙂
I have nothing, as to where GH left off.
000hhh Mike (luvs Mike) was near death.. perhaps a miracle, that would be good..
I gotta tell;
I did not miss Y&R ad GH as I had thought I would..
I got busy with other things and moved on..(different viewing routine)
But– I am looking forward to seeing, both, again.
And– WHOA! you have a great recall/memory- to be able to go back in time.
((it’s like I haven’t clue lol I’ll need a refresher course ..
I am sad that none of the soaps seem to have done a time jump… however, am looking forward to General Hospital‘s return!
I REALLY don’t want Nelle to be Nina’s daughter. A bang? Someone gets shot???
Nurse’s Ball, well, I hope they spend one episode on it, the 3 day episodes tend to be boring. And, did I say I REALLY don’t want Nelle to be Nina’s daughter? 🙂
The Surprise… could Kristian Alfonso be joining GH??? Wishful thinking. Or, could Greg Vaughn be returning as Lucky?
I, too, think it is Dante coming back, they’ve had plenty of time to make a deal with the actor. A Twist… I don’t have a clue… guess we’ve got one more day to wait and see. And… #NELLEISNOTNINASDAUGHTER
as much as I like Nelle shenanigans’ – which end up more oft a spoiled brat tantrum – and she’s given a let… till the next big write up. which has actually run it’s course… she’ll NEVER get to Carly
she seems more dismal than any thing… AND we don’t want that for Nina , do we? I watched her with Jax… and Nina has it going… but it’s Jason Patrick Stuart sensuals that she clearly dreams about. I certainly would be… hotted out! to that extent … Nina and Valentin… end all be all PERIOD. bringing in Nelle? I don’t see it. Valentin would never put up with her..even if he could use her. Besides Charlotte would see right thru her…and may put her lights out any way.
It looks like the show is picking up right were they left off, from what I could see from the preview the show wasn’t missing a beat. I’m being biassed here but GH is vastly more surperior then BB. I saw the show first week and it was cringe inducing to say the least, I mean the weird close up scenes of the characters face, it looked like bad soap opera 101, the plots are pretty silly and I was so glad I’m a GH fan instead because watching BB almost gave me a seizure. sorry but that’s my opinion and I’m not even going to give DOOL or YR a try. Welcome back GH. I’ve missed you.
I actually enjoyed the first week of B&B’s return. Aside from Flo not being able to untie a bunch of stockings (?) Or whatever fabric was used to tie her to a radiator. That was straight eye rolling comedy. Brad Bell seems to have put the brakes on and turned around a bit. We’ll see how it goes.
As someone who watches all current American daytime soaps, and grew up watching CBS soaps, I can absolutely tell you that General Hospital is vastly superior to The Bold and the Beautiful for a myriad of reasons.
A bang? Maybe Julian shoots Nelle!
If only!
Leaving the same Executive Producer in charge for too long tends to give them a big ego and a who cares what you think attitude. I wish the same British standards were employed for our soaps. An Executive Producer is switched out every three years. It makes for better and different viewing.
Here’s the flip side of that: you get people in who have no sense of a particular show or its history and often are more interested in making their mark than on ensuring continuity or keeping long-time viewers happy. I am guessing that in the UK, you might be able to count on the people above the executive producer to insist on attention to those kinds of things; you’d be hard pressed to find a TV executive at any of the networks/sponsors who really understands the individual soaps–or soaps in general–well enough to ensure that the people hired would be the right persons for the job. Even the various people I can think of who have been “VP for Daytime” or whatever equivalent at ABC, CBS, and NBC through the years have not seemed to me to “get” the soaps, why people watch them, what viewers expect, how Soap A is different from Soap B is different from Soap C, etc.
I am sooo excited to see new episodes back on the air! Hoping everyone involved with producing the shows stays safe and that we get to see great story coming our way again!
Hope Kelly is getting better. hate to have LH take over the role Steve and Kelly is the only thing I watch !!!!
Yawn. That “band and surprise” was about as shocking as the Cheetoh tweetig something stupid
Once GH knew they were going to be on indefinite hiatus, they took the material that had already been filmed and extended each and everyone of these storylines by filling in with all of the (fun to see) flashbacks to extend the new material to the point of many cliffhangers that we are now all enjoying with the return of the new episodes. The kiss between Ned and Olivia, the Court scene, and the sad final days of Mike’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. I actually think that it was a pretty brilliant plan, as we continue to go through all of this unknown and unfamiliar time in our lives. I just hope that the cast, crew, and everyone involved with the production of these new episodes remain safe and healthy, for having the new episodes and continuing storylines has been a special treat, especially since I’m running out of Netflix binging options. Stay safe everyone!
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
On the Thursday, October 1 episode of General Hospital, both Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) had some things to say and what they had to say didn’t go over well with whom they were talking to!
Sonny had a confrontation with his son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), while Michael leveled with Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) over Chase (Josh Swickard).
GH is setting up a scenario where everyone is going to make it look like Sonny was responsible for having Sidwell (Carlo Rota) beat up in Pentonville; while viewers already know Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) were behind it.
Courtesy/ABC
A VISIT WITH DAD
Now, Dante comes to Sonny’s house. He wants to know straight up from his dad if he ordered the attack at Pentonville. Sonny flatly denies any culpability or responsibility, but Dante refuses to believe him.
Dante informs Sonny he has video footage of Sully and Vito at the prison. Sonny explains to Dante he doesn’t know why Sully beat up both Curtis and Dante. Things escalated when Sonny was deeply hurt that Dante refused to believe him. Dante says he was disappointed that his father didn’t respect him enough to be truthful with him!
Sonny asks Dante to consider that he was being set up. He says all he did was to tell Vito to instruct Sully to keep a watchful eye on Sidwell, not to harm him. No matter what Sonny said, Dante continued hammering him with how he knew deep down, even though he said he left the mob, he had to finish off Sidwell for himself.
Next, Sonny explains everything he has ever done was to provide for and to protect his family. Dante fired back that he doesn’t want to deal anymore with Sonny’s half-baked truths. As the two men argue, Gio (Giovanni Mazza) shows up at Sonny’s front door and overhears Sonny losing his temper and shouting at Dante, “Get out of my house! I don’t want a son like you!” The scenes featured an excellent performance by Maurice Benard.
Courtesy/ABC
MICHAEL THE MANIPULATOR
While this is going down, outside the Quartermaine boathouse, Brook Lynn opens up to Michael about living at the Q’s with Chase being there, since he only came back due to legal advice from his lawyer, Monet Mitchell (Blythe Howard).
Brook Lynn questioned whether they should get legally separate. Michael insisted that would be a big mistake. When she asks why, Michael tells Brook Lynn to bide her time until Chase and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) have an affair; then she’d have full custody of Phoebe.
An angered Brook Lynn pushed Michael into the water and accuses him of moving Willow back into the gatehouse with intent on putting Chase and Willow in closer proximity and sacrificing Brook Lynn’s family in the process. As the two cousins bicker, Chase shows up asking Brook Lynn if she is OK. Michael punctuates their talk with “You know, I’m right.”
CURTIS FIGURES OUT A WAY TO GET OUT OF THE SLAMMER
At GH, Willow visits Curtis (Donnell Turner) in his hospital room. Curtis wants Willow to get him pardoned and keep him out of jail, and in return, he will help her nail Sonny.
Next, Willow tells Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) she wants Curtis held for observation for three more days. He agrees to do so under one condition, that she understands that he may need to call in a favor from a congresswoman.
So, what did you think of how Dante accused his father and refused to believe Sonny’s answers? Is this the end of their father and son relationship for good? Is Michael the most manipulative person of all, except for Willow? Do the two deserve each other? Do you want Chase and Willow to have an affair? And what of Curtis? Does he have many redeeming qualities left? Share your thoughts via the comment section, but first check out the talk Michael had with Brook Lynn.
General Hospital
GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof
Two soap opera alums very familiar to fans of General Hospital and The Young and the Restless are paired together in a new short-form digital series from none other than Issa Rae’s production entity HOORAE Digital.
Look for Tajh Bellow (ex-TJ Ashford, GH)) and Loren Lott (ex-Ana Hamilton, Y&R) as part of the cast of The Compatibility Experiment, premiering on October 14, 2026, exclusively on TikTok and its companion microdrama platform, PineDrama.
In the video teaser, it appears that Bellow and Lott play a couple, Kelvin and Camila, set in a Love Island reality show-esque environment trying to win the one million dollar cash prize, only what could go wrong?
Photo: HOORAE
The Compatibility Experiment loglines share that it brings a fast-paced, relationship-focused reality check—much like Love Island with a twist. The show takes a participant’s current relationship, introduces them to a potentially more compatible partner, and forces them to navigate the differences with life-changing money on the line.
The new series is part of a groundbreaking content deal between HOORAE Digital and TikTok to develop premium short-form storytelling. The ensemble cast also features; Ayona, Reggie Luck, JaNa Craig, Tosin Morohunfola, Jessica Jacoby, Georgia Warner, and Nick Cassidy.
General Hospital fans know Tajh Bellow for his performances as TJ Ashford, and who earned two Daytime Emmy nominations along the way during his run. Bellow took over the role in 2018 and last appeared on the ABC daytime drama series in December of 2024.
Loren Lott first appeared as Devon’s (Bryton James) sister Ana Hamilton on The Young and the Restless from 2018 to 2019; making a brief return in 2024. She has continued to perform on the stage and screen with recent credits including: Bel-Air, Cherish the Day, and All American: Homecoming.
Check out the trailer for The Compatibility Experiment below and let us know what you think of its concept and if you are glad to see Tajh and Loren again? Hoping they might return to daytime in their GH and Y&R roles at some point in the future? Weigh-in via the comment section.
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General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown
If you thought that the person responsible for the Pentonville brawl that saw Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and Curtis (Donnell Turner) taken to General Hospital was Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) or even Sidwell himself, you were dead wrong! On the Wednesday, September 30 episode of GH, it turned out that the culprits were actually Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison).
In story, Drew apparently bankrolled the attack on Sidwell and framing Sonny. He told Ava their planned worked (she came up with it!) but was horrified when Drew informed her that Curtis got caught in the crosshairs. Ava is visibly upset because of her longtime friendship with Curtis’ daughter, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali). Drew tried to make Ava see the bright side. Curtis was witness to it and his presence will cast doubt on Sonny’s claims to that he had gotten out of the mob and gone legit.
Later, Vito shows up at Drew’s. They informed him that his guy on the inside of the slammer made a big mistake by hurting their friend and ordered him to leave town.
Courtesy/ABC
BOATHOUSE BRAWL
In other major developments, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) and Rocco (Finn Carr) have a blow out fight as Danny blames his “brother” for the reason Charlotte was sent off to boarding school.
Rocco told off Danny for Charlotte’s (Bluesy Burke) reckless behavior and he explains he had to protect his sister. He went in on Danny saying that his mother Lulu (Alexa Havins) has been right to send Charlotte to boarding school and far away from Danny.
However, Rocco went a bit too far when he shouted, “And if your mom was alive, she would send you away too!” Next, Danny punched out Rocco, leading to a terrible brawl. An angered Danny yells at Rocco to, “Stay away from me and everyone in my family. And don’t you ever mention my mom again!” Danny storms off.
Courtesy/ABC
Now alone outside the boathouse, Rocco flashes back to his first kiss with Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarksi), hoping that his fight with Danny will not escalate and ruin their budding romance. Meanwhile, a bloodied-mouth Danny heads over to Sonny’s and Jason (Steve Burton) is there at the same time. He then admits that he has a bad fight with Rocco and they are both beaten up.
WILL SCOUT WISE UP?
At the end of the episode, Scout, who had a fight with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) over Drew, and who keeps telling everyone how good a man her dad truly is, comes upon a suspicious scene.
Scout hides behind the wall outside Drew’s. She sees her dad, Ava and Vito talking. Next, Scout seems to overhear Vito assuring Drew and Ava that their business dealings are done, and he’ll be leaving Port Charles for good.
So, what did you think of the reveal that Ava and Drew were behind framing Sonny for the prison beatdown of Sidwell (and Curtis)? Do you think Danny and Rocco’s relationship can be repaired, or do you think the teenagers will continue to be at each other’s throats? Finally, do you hope Scout gets a clue and stops thinking her dad walks on air? Weigh-in via the comment section, but first check out how Ava and Drew conspired below.
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GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof
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