General Hospital
Frank Valentini Speaks On: Pressure to Save GH, Jill Farren Phelps & Time to Assess Port Charles!
Courtesy/ABC
As was made official earlier today by ABC, One Life to Live’s former head honcho Frank Valentini will now be taking over the reins from Jill Farren Phelps, at General Hospital as of January 9th. Phelps had been GH’s executive producer for the last 10 years.
In an exclusive interview with EW.com, Valentini addressed his quick hiring to General Hospital, coming into the series when there are consistent rumors of its soon-to-be-demise, and what he intends to do with the canvas. Valentini is quick to point out that becoming GH’s show runner happened over the last 48 hours. Here are some excerpts below!
Valentini on if he feels his coming on-board GH is to save it from cancellation: “ Any exec producer always has the weight of the world on their shoulders. I’ve always felt a tremendous responsibility. You have the fate of a lot of people’s futures in your hand. I’m the type of person who takes that very seriously. If I spent any energy worrying about whether we were getting cancelled, it would take away from making the show the best that it could possibly could be. When you’re running, don’t look behind you.”
Valentini on replacing long-time GH executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps: “Jill Phelps is a fantastic producer. She taught me so much when we worked together She was so generous and so kind. And I can’t say enough good things about her. Jill called me this morning and congratulated me. It’s always tough when someone loses their job. But at the end of the day everyone understands that there are business decisions that get made.”
Valentini on his playbook or plans to help GH: “But I don’t think it will change dramatically. I have to come in and assess what’s working and see what can be made better. At this point, during the transition, I ask the audience to be patient. Come along for the ride, and enjoy and love their show.”
So what do you think of Valentini’s comments? Let us know your thoughts on the move of bringing the talented Valentini over to Port Charles!
There was never any doubt that in watching the riveting and emotional scenes on General Hospital which featured Finola Hughes as a PTSD-driven and mentally tortured Anna Devane, that when the climatic moments in Anna’s story aired, that we would not be singing the praises of Hughes. Once again, Finola showcased why she is one of the soap opera genres greatest assets and actresses.
In the key scenes, Anna has had a complete breakdown as she has lured and cornered Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) on Mount Emerson, and even thought through how she would kill her and cover it up, all thanks to hearing the voice and seeing a dead man, Peter August (Wes Ramsey). It’s visions of Peter that keeps egging Anna on to pull the trigger on Britt while in her delusional state.
Before Britt realizes that Anna trapped her in meeting her in Mount Emerson, she is very confused as to why she was all the way out in the boondocks to talk about what happened to her brother, Cassius Faison. However, Britt soon learned that what Anna was about to do is personal, and not professional, as she pulls the gun on her.
Courtesy/ABC
ANNA FIRES HER GUN IN GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
When Jason (Steve Burton) shows up to save the say, he tries to talk Anna off the ledge, begging her to not shoot Britt and make one of the greatest mistakes of his life. When Jason figured out Anna felt she needed to kill anyone related to Cesar Faison, he made her think twice, because that would mean, she also would need to end the lives of two of Maxie’s children, James and Bailey Lu.
Anna can’t stop seeing hallucinations of Peter pushing her to shoot Britt. Suddenly and completely overcome, Anna fires bullets straight in the direction of where she sees Peter as she declares this all must end tonight.
After the shots are fired, Anna realized what she had done and just sobbed and shook. It was a devastating and heartbreaking moment for longtime General Hospital fans to see the beloved Anna Devane, super spy, so lost. Anna explained to Jason, after he was able to disarm her, how she was being pushed to kill Britt by her visions of Peter.
EMMY-WORTHY SCENES FOR 2027
In another hankie-inducing moment, Anna just grabs Jason and breaks down in his arms. If these weren’t Emmy-worthy scenes, we don’t know what is, and it must be remembered by Hughes, General Hospital, and hopefully the voting body of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) when Emmy submissions and voting get underway in 2027 for the 54th annual Daytime Emmys.
From everything we noted above, to the sheer brilliance of her work, Michael Fairman TV names Finola Hughes, this week’s Power Performance of the Week.
Now let us know, do you agree with our pick of Finola? Were you moved to tears during the gut-wrenching scenes? Should Finola include these scenes in an Emmy submission in 2027, should she decide to compete for Lead Actress gold? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
General Hospital
RATINGS: ‘General Hospital’ Shows Most Gains in Total Viewers Week-Over-Week and Up in Key Demo
The ratings are out for the week of August 24-28 for your favorite broadcast television soaps, and it was ABC’s General Hospital which added the most total viewers and planted itself firmly in third place in its battle with Beyond the Gates in the key demos of women 18-49 and 25-54.
According to Soap Opera Network, all daytime dramas were up year-over-year, and General Hospital was joined by The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful with gains in their total audience viewership, while Beyond the Gates was only slightly off pace for the ratings week.
Let’s take a look at what had viewers tuning-in, starting with General Hospital, who added +79,000 viewers. While still under the 2 million viewers mark (which they can hopefully return in the coming weeks) their overall tally was an average of 1, 935,000 tuning-in, while still up year-to-year +136,000.
GENERAL HOSPITAL
In addition, GH while actually down from the previous week in the 18-49 ratings share, they still out performed Beyond the Gates for third place. However, GH was firmly in third place for the 25-54 ratings share.
The stories that were featured for the week included: Anna’s (Finola Hughes) PTSD and struggle with painful memories tied to Cesar Faison, and her concocting a plan to get rid of Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) recording Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) threatening her, and later running into a severe threat from Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) regarding Kai (Jens Austin Astrup) and Drew’s (Cameron Mathison) shooting, and Drew enlisting Ava (Maura West) to gain leverage over Jack, which resulted in Ava drugging him, while Drew went snooping for the evidence Brennan had against him.
Photo: JPI
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Y&R remained in the top spot amongst all the soaps once again with 3,062,000 tuning in, and up +35,000 for the week, while year-to-year still showing strong gains at +231,000 viewers. However, while Y&R remained #1 for the 25-54 ratings share, it fell to #2 in the 18-49 ratings share behind The Bold and the Beautiful.
In story for the week, Nick’s (Joshua Morrow) sobriety in rehab was a focus, as was Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) hitting the Jabot office couch and having sex for the first time, and Lily (Christel Khalil) and Billy (Jason Thompson) battling over control and ownership of Chancellor Industries.
Photo: JPI
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
B&B is continuing to be inch closer to Y&R for the top spot, separated by a little more than 300,000 viewers. For the ratings week, the series posted a total audience of 2,719,000 adding +31,000 eyeballs overall, and like Y&R, is up year-to-year in its performance.
The CBS soap now , now in its 40th season is +217,000 from the same time last year. In the key demos, The Bold and the Beautiful was in the top spot for the women 18-49 ratings share and number two for women 25-54.
In story, the major threat to Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Finn (Tanner Novlan) and Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Daphne’s (Murielle Hilaire) marriages continued as Steffy and Carter swore they would not tell their spouses that the two had a drunken hook-up. But as viewers know now, Steffy is pregnant!
Photo: CBS
BEYOND THE GATES
Beyond the Gates tallied an average of 1,611,000 total viewers for the week, up +72.000 year-over-year and down slightly in tune-in for the week losing just -36,000 viewers. The CBS soap came in fourth place in the key demos for the week behind General Hospital, with whom they are often trading places for the third spot.
In story, after Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) was released from the hospital, Hayley (Marquita Goings) stuck to her plan, doubling down on poisoning him and even getting caught in a major lie or meeting with Randy (Maurice P. Kerry), as Vernon (Clifton Davis) may be on to her machinations.
The ratings report is generated from Nielsen (Live+Same Day Big Data + Panel) for the week of August 24-28, 2026
So, what did you think of the performance of General Hospital for the ratings period? Which daytime drama has you most likely to tune-in each day? Which has you tuning-out? Let us know what’s working, or not working for you in story, via the comment section below.
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.
Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”
Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom on Working with TV Son Crew Morrow: ‘I’ve Always Wanted to Play an Overprotective, Overbearing Mother’ (Exclusive)
‘General Hospital’s’ Finola Hughes Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
RATINGS: ‘General Hospital’ Shows Most Gains in Total Viewers Week-Over-Week and Up in Key Demo
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’
‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
Vivica A. Fox Exits ‘The Young and the Restless’ For Now to Film Netflix’s ‘Women Like Us’
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
‘General Hospital’s’ Braedyn Bruner Reveals Her Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and How Emma is Getting Her ‘Edge’ Back
‘General Hospital’s’ Bluesy Burke Marks 1 Year as Charlotte Cassadine: ‘It’s The Best Gift I’ve Ever Received’
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
‘Beyond the Gates’ vs. ‘The Young and the Restless’ in a Soap Opera Showdown on ‘Flip Side’ Season 3 Premiere
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom Talks Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and What’s Behind Katie’s Deep-Seated Issues with Dylan (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Did Brook Lynn Deserve Chase Walking Out on Her?
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General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
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News1 week agoVivica A. Fox Exits ‘The Young and the Restless’ For Now to Film Netflix’s ‘Women Like Us’
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News2 days agoJess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
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General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Braedyn Bruner Reveals Her Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and How Emma is Getting Her ‘Edge’ Back
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General Hospital5 days ago‘General Hospital’s’ Bluesy Burke Marks 1 Year as Charlotte Cassadine: ‘It’s The Best Gift I’ve Ever Received’
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News5 days ago‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ Drops First Look 40th Anniversary Opening Title Sequence
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Interviews6 days ago‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Kelly Sullivan Talks Becoming Darcy Dylan, Who’s Melissa’s Dad, and Future Love Interest (Exclusive)
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News3 days agoY&R’s Co-Head Writer Jamey Giddens, Ahead of November Stories and Scripts Debut with Dan O’Connor, Explains How Fall Tees Up Their Plans for Genoa City
I love Frank! I sure hope he can make some substantial changes to make this show the best it can be.
the writting is bad I can tell the writer has changed. what is going on with the storylines the best one going is carly and sean I feel bad for the actors it has to be hard to go to work and have a stupid script. GH has always been the best soap on but at this point I am about to stop watching and so are my friends please fix it quick and you can send lulu packing.
My piece of advice is please don’t make GH all about the mob. The hospital storylines have some interesting stories left to tell. The characters and character histories to build on if someone pays attention. Please focus on the whole cast. Don’t make it a three person show like past headwriters did. Utilize actors to their maximum potential.
They really should shake it up at GH if they are going to survive… I saw a promising story with Carly and John a bit controversial when she told him his problem with her was because she was white and then it just fizzled out but it was good story.
As much as I love Sonny, I agree!! WE NEED THE HOSPITAL & THE QUARTERMAINES!!
ENOUGH FRANCO CRAPPO!! JASON: KILL HIM AND MOVE IT ALONG!!
ROMANCE:: LUKE & TRACEY, LUCKY & LIZ, SONNY & CARLY, MAC & ALEXIS, JOHNNY OLIVIA STEVE..,,A GREAT TRIANGLE… JASON LIZ SAM LUCKY MATT MAXI SPINELLI…A NICE MIX-UP
WE NEED ROMANCE,,,,,LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON!!
ALSO: HOW ABOUT PP & OPRAH WORK IT OUT AND MAKE A SOAP COMBO OF AMC & OLTL.. USE THE ACTORS/ACTRESSES WHO ARE INTERESTED
OPRAHS NETWORK IS IN BIG TROUBLE, BUT IF PROSPECT PARK INC AND OPRAH WORK TOGETHER, THEY CAN HELP EACHOTHER…AND THE FANS!!
I AM SO SAD ABOUT MY SOAPS AND THE INDUSTRY!!
PLEASE WORK IT OUT..AND LET US HELP. I AM WILLING TO PAY $50 A MONTH…IF YOU TAKE 200,000 FANS…YOU GET A LOT OF HELP RIGHT THERE…PLEASE WORK IT OUT!!
I don’t believe that this was all a sudden thing! Frank and Ron were already slated to go over to GH a few months before the PP thing came along, so I don’t doubt that they had this thing in the works all along! Don’t trust anything that the Mouse tells us!
More Quartermains! The Q’s were a huge part of the show througout the 80’s, 90’s and well into the 00’s. just bringing Monica, Edward and Tracy out every so often throughout the year to bicker isn’t enough. I want storylines. Give Monica happiness.
Love the Sonny and Kate paring, but make it a reality. Get them married and stable. it cuold always be a contest of will between the upscale Kate and mobster Sonny that could bring interesting storylines for years.
Interesting news. Now, I may consider giving GH a chance after January 13th, as long as the following occurs. I propose that all or most of the residents of Llanview relocate to Port Charles and take over. John, Bo and Nora can finally take down the mafia and send Sonny, Jason, Luke and their minions to Pentonville where they belong. Dorian can run General Hospital because currently they have no adults on staff, except for Epiphany. Clint and Viki can run ELQ. Todd can bring the SUN to Port Charles. Blair can open up Capricorn PC. Tea can go head to head with Diane in court. How much fun would that be!? Only if wishes came true! Note to fronsie: if you were going to replace the GH show-runners with the heads of your #1 soap, why didn’t you just cancel GH instead and leave ONE LIFE TO LIVE on the air? Oh, I forgot: this decision was made by a corporate executive; common sense doesn’t exist amongst the decision makers of corporate America. My bad. hehe. Long live ONE LIFE TO LIVE!
I know you’re probably joking with what you wrote, but instead of hijacking GH and basically turning it into OLTL 2.0, how about we hope for a happy medium.
A show where perhaps some former OLTL characters can be incorporated into the mix, to help freshen things up, which as a GH fan, I would welcome. While also rebuilding and strengthening the core of GH, and honoring its rich history and tradition. which is long overdue. That would be a show that both GH and OLTL fans might be able to enjoy.
Instead of the fans of both shows sniping back and forth, saying this should have happened, or that should have happened, shouldn’t that be what we all hope for?
Long live OLTL Jared! I’ve never watched GH, but only if. Loved you post.
I will be devasted if OLTL takes over GH. I have been watching OLTL since I was 7 years old and I am devasted to see it go but I will be pissed if GH is ruined! OLTL has been exciting the last couple months now that its ending but before that it was so boring, it kinda felt like cornation street ( or whatever that old program is called) GH doesn’t need any help from outside viewers taking over the show… Just keep doing what their doing and ii will at least have one of my guilty pleasures to watch.
I threw up a little when I saw that Brian Frons announced it – that tainted it for me because I won’t ever respect anything he’s involved with ever again – ever again – one more time – EVER.
And, I don’t trust anything that was said because of that, either – I think it’s all B.S.
Sigh……..
yeah, the show is tanked now. Frank and Ron are horrific. This is Frons saying “Hey, here’s my way of sticking it to you fans before I cancel this show, too.”
If Frank Valentini is moving to GH to bring new life to it, as good as he is, won’t that all be in vain? If Katie Couric is taking that time slot , where is GH going to be? None of this makes sense. With all the commotion about OLTL and All My Children travesties, what do the producers think they are going to accomplish in the end? Will we all be in suspension and holding our breath waiting for the final pin to drop. It’s just a matter of time……..
My advice to GH new team is to make sure you don’t try to make GH into OLTL, both of you have a long history w/ OLTL. The worst thing you could do is to start hiring OLTL actors, or start recasting w/ OLTL actors ect. If I was both of them, i would concentrate on on storylines, pacing, and the current cast. Biggest mistake they could make is to start creating new characters or bringing on to many new people. GH has its own unique history, it has a great cast, and even past talent, that would be welcome back, so concentrate on that, and i think its possible to succeed.
The best thing they can do actually is turn GH into ONE LIFE TO LIVE. The ratings don’t lie, and OLTL is the #1 soap on the network that shall remain nameless. They cancelled the wrong soap, period.
Ditch GH and Keep OLTL
The wrong soap was cancelled. OLTL is head and shoulders above GH in every way. And I say that as someone who has been a fan of both shows for years. Unfortunately, GH has turned into the Sonny and Jason hour. And James Franco has done GH no favors. I turned GH off quite some time ago which really bothers me because I know I should be supporting the soaps right now, not tuning out. When OLTL ends, I’ll no longer watch ABC. They have no loyalty to the fans, why should I have any for them?
Im not a GH fan, I loathe mobe related tv shows and movies. If Frank and Ron can do for GH what it did for OLTL then the fans should welcome them both with open arms. I do think that the fate of GH is sealed with Katie Couric’s show taking its time slot in 2012. Hey, worst case is these guys come in and give GH fans a quality final season!
too much reality and talk. hope they can keep our drama going forever. otherwise, sell GH to Sony, a much better organization for drama
I wonder if Frank will get rid of the Franco nonsense, which the audience obviously never cared much for when looking at ratings, and finally bring my Valentin Cassadine character on, which was displaced by the Franco Fiasco, much to the chagrin of most GH loyalists. I am still willing to shake things up in Port Charles, balancing those duties with my producing duties elsewhere.
If this is really you Matt I completely agree. James Franco has been a complete waste of air time. There is no story with him and his performances have been ridiculously inept and over the top.
Maybe the new brass with cease to kiss his derriere and send him packing.
I agree forget franco who cares the storyline is a wast of time and stop making jason look like a wimp get him back to his old self he and sam.
I still believe that Disney has already made the decision to cancel GH. They just want to throw the remaining viewers a bone and usher it out well. And all I would say to Frank V is that if you dont make any drastic changes, I wont watch. GH needs a complete overhaul. But Im not concerned. I cancelled GH off my TV about a yr ago anyway. Que Sera que sera.
Ron C.and Frank V. can work their magic and bring great things to GH as they did to OLTL. However, people fail to recognize that this takes time and that is one factor GH does not have on its side. It doesn’t matter. OLTL has been outstanding and brings in over 400,000 more viewers than GH, but it still got canceled. GH is losing their 3 o’clock time slot in Sept. If OLTL replacement shows produces the same ratings as the Chew, GH doesn’t stand a chance. The end of daytime happened on April 14, 2011 when AMC and OLTL were cancelled. I will be so sad on Jan. 13 when the final episode of OLTL airs.
I’m sorry but I’m not for this AT ALL. I was shocked to see Garin Wolf already replaced as head writer for General and to see Ron Carlivati????? What is this????? Turning into One Life to Live????????????????
I’m sorry, but if General characters are slowly being pushed out, I’m out for good. This has been my show for over 30 years and if it’s being taken over by a show that couldn’t hold its ground, then that’s just ridiculous.
Sorry about you, Garin. You were doing an excellent job as was Jill Pharin Phelps. I was suprised to see you out of the production as well. It’s really sad. I’m also sick of the new credits in the beginning, no match-ups at “half-time”, and FINALLY seeing Jason and Sam after, what, almost two weeks???????????????????????????
Sad. Very sad.