General Hospital
GH’s Kin Shriner on Jackie Zeman Before Her Passing: “She Was So Optimistic and Was Hoping for a Story, and Always Upbeat About Everything”
This week on General Hospital, viewers will say their goodbyes to Bobbie Spencer (the late Jackie Zeman) in a two-part farewell that will include Bobbie’s memorial service, and then memories shared about her from key members in her life and the town of Port Charles, and more.
The episodes air beginning tomorrow, January 10th, and then again on Thursday, January 11th. From all accounts and interviews, taping the memorial service was both cathartic and heartbreaking for the cast.
One of Jackie’s closest friends was Kin Shriner. On-screen as Bobbie and Scott, they had on and off again romantic relationship, and an enduring friendship that spanned over four and a half decades.
Photo: JPI
Back in September of last year, The Michael Fairman Channel hosted a tribute to Jackie where her former co-stars, the aforementioned Shriner, Rick Springfield (ex-Noah), Brad Maule (ex-Tony), Tamara Braun (ex-Carly, currently Ava, DAYS), Tristan Rogers (Robert) and Sam Behrens (ex-Jake), all shared memories of working with, and knowing the legendary GH star.
Kin Shriner spoke of Jackie’s mindset last year prior to her death. Zeman passed away in May of 2023 from a short bout with cancer. He related that prior to that, Jackie continued to have a positive attitude and presence, even when Bobbie was back-burnered, and that she was still hoping for a storyline.
Photo: ABC
Shriner shared a moment from a chat he had with Zeman at New Year’s Eve 2022, before the clock struck midnight to welcome in 2023. “Jackie and I came back and sat in front of the house and talked for about an hour and a half about General Hospital and what we were gonna do.” Kin expressed, “She was so optimistic, and was hoping for a story and fun. She was always upbeat about everything and that we were supposed to do an appearance in a month together.”
He went to explain, “Jackie was always just full of life and and spirited about everything. When she was at the Nurses’ Ball, and under the weather, she was still cranking out all of these lines and she was a pro to the end. She didn’t miss a beat.”
In a touching statement, Kin shared, “She loved being Bobbie Spencer and being there, and that was what I loved so much about Jackie, because cause she would always get so excited about upcoming scenes and stuff.”
You can watch the full tribute to Jackie below.
What do you think about the sentiments shared by Kin? Would you have loved to see Jackie more front and center in story? Will you miss Scott and Bobbie’s friendship on GH? Let us know in the comment section.
I go way back, as I started watching along with my grandma while my mom was working. When I started watching, Bobbie was one of the big four along with Laura, Luke, and Scotty. I can’t relate to so much of what they are showing because the way I see it is once LW took over the Carly role, Bobbie was relegated to nothing but a Carly prop and never had a story of her own again. I think the one exception was when Ron came on, and I have to give him his props, he did write for the vets. But that didn’t last of course. I will always think of Jackie from back then though.
Bobbie was the story not Carly and yes they will make it about Carly heeebis a suggestion give jz her moment she deserves that
I have watched GH as long as I can remember. The show is 10 days older than me!!
GH has always been my favorite soap. I remember cast and storylines fron the late 60s till today.
Thank you for all the years if entertainment.
Tristan Rogers would do well to remove his phone number from his Zoom ID!
It was really nice, poignant but lovely, to hear these memories and tributes from Ms. Zeman’s friends and colleagues, and colleagues who were longtime friends in real life as well. Definitely a sad loss to the show, to the acting and soaps community, and to her friends and family. I especially appreciate seeing @KinShriner, who we the longtime fans really miss on the show, and the late and beloved @TristanRogers. Also lovely to see @SamBehrens and @BradMaule so many years after their departure from the show. You all were a really lovely part of the daily lives of many of us in your audience, bringing these characters and storylines to life with such vividness, from the hilarious to the heartfelt. My grandfather, actually, who was my father figure, actually started watching GH after he retired, and I, at the time in I think junior high school/early teens, would watch with him when I was home from school in time, and it was a sweet little thing that he and I would enjoy together, so many times! I remember vividly that a few minutes before 3pm he woud go get his kitchen chair, carry it the few feet out into the living room, sit it in front of the TV and pull over his little footstool, lean back on the back two legs of the chair with his feet on his little footstool and totally watch that show. He really enjoyed it! I love remembering those peaceful hours that he and I would watch the show together, often with me doing my homework on the sofa a few feet away in our little living room in the house he built for us with his own hands. He has been gone for a long time and I miss him, and those days, a lot. Reconnecting with General Hospital, and especially the actors and characters who were so much a part of those times and experiences, helps give me a little comfort by bringing that feeling back to me, as if they are old friends of our family who I get to visit with a little bit again many years later.
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.
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