General Hospital
FOX NEWS Source: ABC/Disney Looking Hard To Find Replacement For Katie Couric and KATIE!
Courtesy/ABC
Apparently, another decision by the ABC/Disney team is not going so well! According to a report today from FOX411 Pop Tart’s News column, “While all television is going through a difficult time and programming is having a hard time finding its niche, Katie’s new talk show does not live up its expectations. Whatever constraints Katie experienced anchoring ‘Evening News’ it is certainly taking its toll, and her return to daytime has backfired.”
Furthermore the item goes on to say that ABC is looking very hard to find a replacement for Katie Couric, “They (staff) are desperately running around approaching talent and offering to train them to replace her as a new daytime talk show host. It’s a number one priority, revealed a source.
Another part of the article relates that an insider is skeptical that Couric’s show will complete its second season. “There is zero chance is goes to a third season. It might not even finish the second.” Right now, KATIE is scheduled in to the fall of 2o13!
What do you think? Happy to hear the news that Katie is not doing so well? Or, are you hoping that the show will get a new lease on life and stay on longer with Couric as a key afternoon talk show host? Weigh-in!
Despite all the negative press Katie has received from the soap front, she actually was not the cause of AMC and OLTL getting cancelled and actually HELPED GH gain ratings by having its time slot moved. I enjoy her show but it is a bit schizophrenic. It goes from a serious topic one moment to something silly the next. I think a harder-edged news-oriented program could work but she needs to stick to either doing just that or caving in and doing the light frivolous stuff that every other talk show does now.
I was never intersted in her show. I felt there were too many talk shows as it is..Not
surprised she didn’t last.
I agree. I never watched her show either. There are WAY too many talk shows. Boring as H!!!
Frons is to blame, among others, for AMC and OLTL getting cancelled. GH time slot didn’t change everywhere… it’s always be on at 2 and still is here.
As far as Katie, think I’ve only caught her if she had a soap star I was interested in.
If they had a show like the Mike Douglas Show or Dick Cavett, I’d watch that. the Mike Douglas Show was more than just 2 people talking and a tiny audience… it had more variety and some music and a lot of laughs… I was young when it was on, but I remember it to this day. I remember the guests too.
Shows like Mike Douglas are sorely missed by me…i liked Dinah Shore too.
Is ABC going for the trifecta of all time broadcasting failures? This is ABC’s second failure so why can’t they just admit they made a mistake (is there anyone other there who doesn’t knows it by now?) and bring back AMC/OLTL in their current half hour format with 5 episodes a week and let PP produce them as they can do it cheaper. If they did, they would be a hero to millions of fans by saving the now floundering PP.
I have always found Katie to be the most unlikeable, boring,dry host. She is like watching paint dry. Her interview skills are lackluster. I have never understood why people fawn all over her.
I totally agree with you…..
I agree with both posters. Never cared for Katie and just can’t understand why the networks pay her so much money for her mediocre shows.
I agree, too. Never liked her. I always thought she was full of herself & too busy trying to be cute, instead of trying to do a good interview.
SO TRUE
I can’t believe they still think a talk show will even fly. Don’t they get it? NO ONE wants another talk show in that time slot; in fact think talk and reality show market is glutted. Viewers want engaging drama for entertainment and escape FROM reality!!!
WE TRIED TO WARN ABC HER PROGRAM WOULDN’T WORK , that is General hospitals place, Bring back the soaps and they will bring back the fans, I will never watch ABC again except for GH, they lost me when they killed the soaps they trashed my afternoon by taking away 2 soaps that I have watched since they begun and I wont come back till they come back and that means daytime and prime time.
True that!
I agree with you Terri! Don’t need anymore talk shows.. I agree viewers want drama for entertainment and have their one or two hours of escape.. I want stories and not all this gibber jabber!
Thats not true. Steve Harvey’s show is doing great. And I love Dr. Phill. In my market he took the Guilding Light time slot. Id rather watch both he and Dr Oz (
Another success) any day over a convoluted soap. Some people actually like.
Informative show s based on reality. Surprise.
I agree with Terri. If I want informative shows based on reality, I’ll tune to one of the many news networks. Katie can go. I too want my soaps back.
I Think I watched one show…The Chew never..ABC took thousands of jobs away for her and a food show..They are killing GH with these writters too! The show is done..It Totally s*cks…Thats how I feel after watchig it for 26yrs :(((
It is sooo boring. They eat and eat and eat. What kind of show is that
It is BORING! Never watched it but just seeing the commericals for it makes BARF! I change the channel when The Chew commericals come .
They should put OLTL back on. That is where ABCD messed up to begin with. I find it amusing every show they have put on has failed and GH is a horrid mess also. Oh well. Couldn’t happen to a better bunch of morons IMO.
I don’t think GH is horrid mess by no means. I like watching GH Mon.-Fri..
Wonder what the suits at ABC/Disney are doing now? All of their machiavellian plans to torpedo the soaps and eliminate scripted programming from daytime has turned out to be an epic fail. All the money spent in the past 18 months chasing their tails when they could have left well enough alone, invested better writing teams into AMC and brought Agnes Nixon back into the fold. If they took that course, they’d be securely in the black instead of bleeding red and running for the hills. Hated that witch Katie Couric, by the way.
I wish the new, little child playing big shot, head of ABC who decided that everyone wanted more talk shows….would step down. He came in and instead of ….oh I don’t know, maybe at the very least taking All My Children, and One Life to Live to 30 minutes for a year or so, and see how that worked…..he totally disassembled programs that have been ongoing for Forty to 50 years. We have all the reality we need on the nightly news. Why couldn’t he just leave the Soap Operas alone. Hopefully he has a strong regret, but it’s too late. Soap Operas have a very strong fan base. Besides…..We have Ellen for our daytime talk show….what more could we possibly need or want! Just my opinion as someone who has watched Soaps for at least Forty years.
I knew katie couric would fail! she is no oprah and she never will be!
Don’t care for neither one.
agree with you! I would rather see a game show then another talk show. It is very unlikely that they would bring back the two shows they cancelled for this mess.
I actually enjoyed watching the Katie Show but some of her stories are not good enough to watch. I dvr most of my shows since I work 11 hour days. 6 days a week. I can’t say I watch more than 2 or 3 of her shows a week. It was good in the first season but its a bit boring in the 2nd. I’d say bring back our Soaps but even with the HULA it is not like it used to be on AMC. Which I’ve been watching since 1976. New story lines are taking too long to understand. OLTL needs to return. It has more actors from the original cast. ABC needs to get with the idea that we the day time fans do not want a talk show we want our Soaps back. So enough is enough bring them back. Sorry Katie.. You tried. And stick with your stories but stay out of our Stories Soap star you just:aint”
I knew she would fail too. Why didn’t the ABC execs see that? They should have left OLTL on.
Extremely happy to hear “Katie” is not doing well. Any other programming they put in it’s place or any other talk show will also flop. Serves ABC right. Why don’t PP and ABC collaborate and get our shows back on the air on ABC. Let them do 2 half hour shows to replace Katie.
YES!!!
I don’t like to hear about anyone losing a job.Yes,she was supportive about GH,but her show and THE CHEW belong on more specialised cable stations.The soaps belonged and still belong on mass market network stations.
ABC should finally own up, thus earning respect, and bring back OLTL and AMC. Why is it so impossible to admit mistakes? It’s called accountability. Go back to what works and what people WANT. It really isn’t so hard.
Oltl could go home again…abc?
That is too bad, her show and Anderson cooper are about the only talk shows that I like.The ones I can do without are Oz and Rachael.
We need an informative and hard-news/documentary news program on daytime. Katie Couric would be more than qualified. All this brainless escapism on daytime is driving viewers away to CNN. What’s needed are intelligent qualified writers. The lack of good writing is ruining GH a d us what ruined AMC. I never watched OLTL but if the writers on GH are indicative of the producing/writing team, that is why OLTL was cancelled. And do not get me started on the GH actors from OLTL and their acting.
I enjoy Katie’s show! I was upset to lose my soaps…but never did I blame her! She is an awesome person and her show is enjoyable!
id love to take Katie`s place and I do not need 80 million dollars, id take 5 million a year, and willing to move to the USA so where can I apply???
We have too many talk shows and more are cropping up every year. I don’t watch and don’t plan to.
Not a big fan of Katie, never watch her show. ABC made a huge mistake in taking off AMC & OLTL. PP is having so many issues as well. ABC should go back to soaps in the afternoon. BTW, I know its sacrelage, but I do like The Chew.
Obviously ABC has been cursed for dropping AMC and OLTL!!! There are too many talk shows on during the day, if you haven’t figured it out, ABC lost a lot of viewers and have boycotted ABC. We’re all watching the Young and Restless and the Bold and Beautiful and the going to our computers and streaming AMC and OLTL to our TV. I have watched Katie a few times and she has had very interesting guests, not a bad show, but she doesn’t compare to my soaps. Suck on it ABC you made some bad choices!
When are they going to learn, People do not really want talk shows or more cooking shows! Thought at the start of the 2012-2013 season KATIE according to the critics was highly rated?? Bring back AMC & OLTL!!
GOOD!!!! She bugs!!!! Never been a fan she only annoys. I like the above comment about paint drying. SOOOO TRUE!!!!
I want to see every show fail that ABC thought was a better choice than AMC and OLTL. This news is especially sweet because I can’t stand Katie and don’t want to see her on any channel. How the Spew is still going on I don’t know. I want these stupid execs to have to keep scrambling to try to get a show that works…and as long as they stick with the “40% less budget” that Frons bragged about over the soaps…well that’s the quality of shows they’re gonna get. They may be saving money but having shows failing all the time doesn’t make them look good. I
At this point I wouldn’t even want AMC and OLTL back on ABC, I hope someday they can transition back to a station, hopefully cable not ABC they don’t deserve them.
I tried to watch Katie Couric’s show, but I just couldn’t get in to it. I do not like “The Chew” either. I do miss One Life to Live, and I wished this show hadn’t gone off the air.
I liked Katie as a TV news journalist/personality. It allowed her to be both detached and in the driver’s seat. However, for a talk show — where so much depends on the host’s personality to set the pace and tone — Katie couldn’t cut it. She was guarded and seemed uneasy in a casual format. When I think of GREAT talk show hosts, I think Oprah Winfrey, Merv Griffin, Virginia Graham, Ellen DeGeneres — engaging people with looming personalities who nonetheless displayed an actual interest in their guests. So few can do it effectively. This is yet another HUGE mistake feather in ABC’s cap.
Hey, the search is OVER, but on AMC and OLTL.
End of story and end of the discussion 🙂
KATIE, is awful ! I cringe watching here in this format.
The problem is that she has lost her identity having made huge shifts between 3 major roles. The first mistake was leaving Today.
I think the best she can do now is become the new Barbara Walters of ABC and anchor The View, or go to CNN with a nightly broadcast.
She either needs to be flanked by a panel, or doing what she does best, interviewing.
good they need to put soaps back soon
They don’t need another talk show host, but another format!! They have all the talk going on in the a.m. Then when afternoon hits, it needs to be more balanced. Like back in the day, in NYC it was AMC, OLTL, GH and then Oprah. Even had soaps in the 12:30 slot. But fine, the last several yrs the soaps started at 1:00 p.m. But bottom line it worked for over 20 yrs. Now ABC can’t anchor any daytime talk show in their afternoon, daytime lineup. The Chew is still around, but I don’t watch, not into food shows on a regular basis. Once in awhile I tune into Rachel Ray or there’s the Food Network, otherwise, the daytime afternoon line up needs more BALANCE.
Balance=Bring back AMC/OLTL.
If Katie isn’t working, why can’t ABC air classic episodes of All my Children and One life to live.
I like to watch old episodes every now and then.
I will infrequently record Katie’s show only when an actor or actress is on it that I like. Cannot stand Katie Couric–she has a bad habit of interrupting guests trying to talk and also turning the show into about “her” rather than her guest. She’s also overly flirtatious with handsome men guests, which is revolting. For similar reasons, I cannot stand Kelly Ripa.
I actually don’t mind her show. I think her show is the perfect replacement for The Chew.
Now, THAT SHOW I mind. I don’t see how The Chew can have better ratings than Katie’s show.
eat crow abc, and give the people what they want, not the nonsense that you tried to shove down our throats. you’re a laughingstock.
she’ll get a new project. Same w/ anderson cooper even if cnn is grotesquely lagging behind number 1 cable news channel fox news. It’s bec they’re liberals and the news media is run by liberals who do a horrid job of pretending to be unbiased. katie’s cbs news and day talk show are flops. cooper’s cnn show and day talk show are flops. Yet they’ll get new projects of course. Failure is rewarded by news media bec their political beliefs lean far left. Such stupidity from news media complex.
ABC executives are stupid. They should of kept the soaps on. Soap opera fans are the most loyal fans and statistics prove it. I have been watching General Hospital for 40 yrs and they are letting the new writers trash the story lines. No wonder I watch CBS.
I have the perfect answer bring back both All My Children and One Life to Live and also take off the Chew.
The latest ratings are out for the week of October 26-30, 2026 and the big takeaways include: that CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates was separated by only 23,000 viewers behind third place (of the soaps) General Hospital! For the last several weeks, Beyond the Gates has been closing the gap on this year’s winner for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, and continuing to best GH in the key demos.
According to the latest Nielsen ratings breakdown from Soap Opera Network, the final week of October brought Beyond the Gates 1.790 million on average tuning-in and the show set a season high in total viewers. Meanwhile, General Hospital hit a new season low! The long-running ABC soap had 1.813 million for the week, and once again the series did not go over the 2 million mark.
Meanwhile, in the key Women 18-49 demo, Beyond the Gates was firmly ahead of GH with a rating share of 0.21, while General Hospital had 0.17 rating share.Then, in the key Women 25-54 demo, Beyond the Gates was once again ahead of the ABC soap with a ratings share for that demo at 0.30 while GH came in with 0.26.
Photo: CBS
MORE BY THE NUMBERS
In addition and comparatively, Beyond the Gates +22,000 viewers week-to-week, and had the largest gains in viewership year-to-year in daytime TV with +267,000 from this in 2025.. However, General Hospital seems to be going in reverse. The show was down -56,000 viewers week-over-week and down -22,000 year-over-year .
BEYOND THE GATES
Let’s take a look at some of the storylines that had people tuning-in to Beyond the Gates during the ratings week:
Hayley (Marquita Goings) attempted a massive shocker regarding her pregnancy and tried to use it to extract money from Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Although, Bill saw right through her game, he demanded a paternity test, and made it clear he has no intention of raising the child—planning instead to pay her off to take the baby and leave. Meanwhile, Hayley confided her plan to her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry).
Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) clashed over Jacob’s ongoing investigation into The Impaler, causing significant strain in their marriage. At the same time, Smitty (Mike Manning) considered taking matters into his own hands—including potentially heading to Mexico for evidence—while Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) worried about what comes next.
Photo: ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL
Over at General Hospital for the ratings period, the story served up included:
Carly (Laura Wright) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) teamed up to investigate what really happened to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). Later, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) leads them to Jack’s dead body.
Jude (Wil Traval) dropped a bombshell claim to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn); that he is Phoebe’s father, while Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed their divorce papers.
Then, Danny caught Rocco (Finn Carr) and Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) sharing a kiss, plus the shocking return of Heather Webber (Alley Mills) capped the week.
Now the questions become; without having much promotional synergy in the ABC day-part to draw more eyeballs it is not helping but hurting General Hospital. It seems Beyond the Gates is also a benefactor of a one-two-three punch of CBS soaps (Y&R, B&B and BTG) and promotion.
However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Beyond the Gates is close to besting GH in all ratings category as they go head-to-head in some markets across the country.
So, are you excited to see Beyond the Gates climb in the ratings? Are you concerned for General Hospital? Do you think they can stave off Beyond the Gates in total viewers or will the upstart soap overtake them in the next ratings report? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Antonio Sabáto Jr., the former Jagger Cates of General Hospital and GH: Night Shift, and the former Dante Damiano of The Bold and the Beautiful has issued his first public statement since the incident involving his son, Jack’s arrest in Alaska for a fatal hit-and-run.
Jack is the son of Sabáto Jr. and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, and according to court documents obtained by KTUU Jack, was allegedly driving a white Chevy Tahoe when he hit and killed Carl Simmonds, 42, near an intersection in Anchorage around 5:35 a.m. on Monday, November 9.
The reports indicated that Jack fled the scene — but later decided to called the cops to say he hit “something” that “suddenly appeared in the road” while he was “doing late-night DoorDashing.”
Photo: NBC
Now, Antonio has taken to his Instagram breaking his silence on the situation, sharing, “At this time, my family and I are navigating an extremely sensitive and deeply personal matter.”
He added, “As a father, my love for my children remains unconditional, and my priority is the well-being of my family. We ask that the public and members of the media honor our privacy during this difficult time and keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.”
The soap alum concluded, “I also wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the gentleman who tragically lost his life. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well. We sincerely appreciate your compassion, understanding, and respect for the privacy of everyone affected.”
Jack Sabáto was arraigned in court on Tuesday, November 10 with bail set at $5,000, and a no-driving order and the potential of $5,000 penalty fees if he fails to attend future court appearances.
Antonio is the father to Jack, 34, daughter, Mina Sabato, 24 and son, Antonio Sabáto III, 15.
This is a developing story. You can check out Antonio’s official statement below.
So, let us know your thoughts on this tragic hit-and-run, which claimed the life of another man, and Antonio’s statement, via the comment section below.
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Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Ava’s (Maura West) daughter Avery looks quite different, starting on today’s November 9 episode of General Hospital. That’s because GH has made Avery into a full-blown teenager and the role is now being played by actress Alya Bullington.
In her debut, the Tennessee native was thrown into the deep soap waters with Daytime Emmy winners, Maurice Benard and Eden McCoy (Josslyn). Bullington weighed-in to TV Insider about her first scene which featured Avery overhearing a fight between Sonny and Josslyn.
She explained “It was something I have never done before, I did not have a lot of experience with the screaming and the crying stuff, but I got my first script, and I was like, ‘OK, this is a huge opportunity to learn so much about how that stuff works and to become this character that I have never even tried playing before.’”
Photo: ABC
THE TEENAGED VERSION OF AVERY WILL HAVE A LOT TO CONTEND WITH
Speaking of working with McCoy, Bullington shared, “She’s incredible. I remember her just laughing and making jokes on set, and then the minute that they started taping, she just locked in and she cried immediately, and my first thought was, ‘I want to be able to do that.’
The soap opera newcomer added, “I think she just inspired me so much because she is so great and she can just lock into whatever character she wants to in the moment.”
The character of Avery was born back in 2014, but as recently as the October 8 episode of General Hospital, the character was suddenly referred to as a teenager. This is the second young female character in recent months to be aged up following the casting of Kayden Brenna Tokarski as Scout Cain.
As for her take on Avery and what’s ahead, Alya said,“She’s emotional, and she’s curious, and she’s a really fun person to play because so much stuff is happening in her life. I think she’s kind of confused about what’s happening and what to believe.”
So, what do you think about General Hospital making Avery a teenager? Are you excited to see the conflict between Sonny, Ava and Avery now that they have aged up the character? Share your thoughts and welcome Alya to GH via the comment section below.
‘Beyond the Gates’ Emmy Winner Ambyr Michelle Wants to Compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’: ‘Pick Me’ (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers
B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
Antonio Sabáto Jr. Breaks Silence on His Son’s Arrest for Fatal Hit-and-Run
Y&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
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THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
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