General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Linda Purl Guest Stars as Peyton and Carly Open Old Wounds
Thursday’s episode of General Hospital featured a guest star turn by TV and film star, Linda Purl taking on the role of Mrs. Wade Honeycutt aka Peyton.
In story, while delayed in Jacksonville on her way to Aruba, Carly (Laura Wright) is blindsided by a woman who comes up to her saying how refreshing it is to see someone reading a book and not on their cellphone. Carly shares she lost the phone on the plane she was on before she was grounded due to bad weather in Jacksonville. Being in Jacksonville is the last place that Carly wants to be; given this is the place she grew up in and was then known as “Caroline Benson”.

Photo: ABC
When the woman named “Peyton” joins her at her table, they talk about Jacksonville. The very-opinionated Peyton shares that she is a member of the city beautification board. Then, she looks at the bar and sees a married man she knows with a young woman who is not his daughter, which sets her off. Peyton calls ‘her kind, trash’, alluding to that the young woman is a call girl. Carly is taken aback by her comments. Shockingly, Peyton reveals how Ruby Anderson’s boarding house was torn down by her beautification board, because everybody knew it was a brothel. Next, Carly reveals Ruby was her great aunt.
All of a sudden, a horrified and emotional Carly realizes who Peyton is! Peyton was married to another man before her current husband Wade. Peyton realizes Carly is Caroline Benson, and knows that Carly has been using her daughter Reese’s nickname. At that point, Peyton lets Carly have it as she blames her for Reese’s death.
We then learn that Carly seduced Peyton’s then-husband Daniel. Carly defends herself as a 16-year-old teen and that her husband was an adult, so he was at fault for everything. Peyton calls Carly ‘trash’ who just wanted Reese’s life and tried to get it by sleeping with her father. When Reese found out about the tryst, she was devastated and got in a car, and wound up in the accident that killed her.

Photo: ABC
Carly tells Peyton she is not having this; she is a grown woman and owes her nothing. Peyton tells her to get out of Jacksonville as soon as possible because she doesn’t belong there and never did.
The scenes between Purl and Laura Wright were outstanding. However, many fans have referenced that the back-story of Reese and Carly was altered.
So, what did you think of the scenes between Linda Purl and Laura Wright as Peyton and Carly drudge up the past? Comment below.
Of course many adults behaved badly. But leave it to Carly to always blame everyone else, and not take responsibility for her or her families choice of “careers” and/or miss-deeds.
This was a good back story between Carly and the Peyton woman whose husband Carly apparently bedded at 16 yrs., old enough to know better in my book. When she said she was only 16, sounded like she was saying 12 or 13. I also did not agree with Carly’s opinion that the call girl had a right to be at the hotel. I wouldn’t want them at an establishment that I owned. Did she allow them at her hotel in P.C?
Her mother, Bobbie Spencer, and grandmother, Ruby Anderson were both prostitutes. Viewers of GH since 1976ish known this… so Carly’s opinions totally make sense.
Shows how many years you ‘ve been watching! I have been watching for about 40+ years now and bawhen they wrote a story, people knew it was just for tv. Now, every thing is such a risk because there are activists and human rights people going nuts over fictional tv shows!
This entire scene was a trainwreck of a rewrite….
First of all, we already know that Reese Marshall a.k.a the “original” Carly Roberts did not die in a car wreck as a teenager, because she later surfaced in Port Charles as an FBI agent. Though she did eventually die in a literal trainwreck which was caused by that horrible temp hire “Carly” Jennifer something or other… and Laura Wright actually made her debut on GH at the end of that story.
Now as far as this self-appointed head of the Moral Majority of Jacksonville being so “proud” of tearing down Ruby’s whorehouse… uh no. Her tribe of busybodies had nothing to do with that. That house was destroyed by its legal owners…. some of you may recall the “transitional” period of GH in 2011, after Bob Guza left, but before the Valentini/ReRon regime moved in. The interim head writer, Garin Wolf, had a pathological hatred of the entire Spencer family, and he attempted to turn all of them into alcoholic, pill popping, crybaby arsonists. Either Luke or Lulu burned that house down. I honestly can’t remember which one, but that’s because a lot of fires were set by Spencers in those days. Couldn’t find it on YouTube… apparently that period of GH was so horrible that nobody bothered saving any video from it.
As far as the Linda Purl character’s attitude towards Carly…. maybe she should think about the fact that Carly was a teenager at the time, while her pedophile rapist of a husband was a grown assed man. Is she sure he wasn’t raping his own daughter at the same time?
Nothing against Linda Purl… but I don’t care to see that character again. The Devil’s not a big fan of self-righteous hypocrites.
WOW!! Thank you for the very descriptive and informative précis, Satan. I’ve only been watching for eight years, and although I, more or less, know Carly’s ( and other characters’) background, it’s not the same as having watched the soap first hand.
So, Carly’s background is shady—-thus, she should have risen above it. Sixteen is young, but not so naive not to know right from wrong. Granted, a slimy, sexual predator knows how to attract and snare his prey with the power of persuasion—-very touchy subject. I think that almost every girl that age has encountered such situations—-the difference is parenting. You know—-parents who care enough to give “the talk “ about the dangers out there. Obviously, Carly was no so lucky to have had the luxury of such a family.
But, the reason I do not like Carly is because she is very judgmental when it comes to other people ‘s mistakes. She is a hypocrite and so self righteous.
Now, I would think that because of her broken past, she would hold a modicum of tenderness, understanding, consideration, compassion and forgiveness in her heart for anyone, including those who have hurt her, since her misdeeds can fill an ocean—-that’s all!! Ciao ❤️
Hi C, so you are saying that Sonny is better off without Carly and you approve of his and Nina’s relationship???
Hello, my love—No-no–not at all, T. Just the opposite!! I think Sonny and Carly belong together. I apologize for not making myself clear—actually, my mind was not fixed on who should be with whom. I was describing Carly’s self-imposed elitism. She is a nouveu riche AKA gutter rat ( strictly talking about the character–not Ms Wright, who is an exceptionally, beautiful actress).
As far as Nina, I would love to see her back with Valentin—Anna and he just do not make the cut of a passion-driven couple.
What Nina did (out of spite) is also deplorable. If you remember, Nina did try to tell Carly, by phone, that she had found Sonny. But, Carly, being who she is, started maligning Nina, threatening her never to see Wiley again——if I remember correctly.
I simply do not like Carly. I do like Nina because after all her miserable and horrible consequential mistakes, she does try to make amends, albeit futile and unforgivable. It’s a matter of preference with me. Right or wrong, that’s how I feel.
I think these women both suffer from “persecution syndrome” ( I just made the phrase up. LOL), each for her own personal reasons. Neither is a saint. But, Carly, by far, is waaaay out there in my list of distasteful character!!
Ciao, babes❤️
I think Garin Wolf hated most. He wrote horrible for the couples on the show. He never paid attention to backstory.
Though I thought there were a few holes in the story that I didn’t understand due to be a recent (ten year) viewer, I found the scenes riveting.
Rodd
Me too. Watched many years ago than stopped and have been back only about 12 or 13 yrs, so this was all news to me and very interesting.
Kind of helps understanding Carly a little bit.
Me to Rodd, I forgot all the past history and just loved the job Linda Purl did and hope she visits Port Charles!
Love Linda Purl. Now how about GH cast her sweetie Patrick Duffy as Dr Jeff Webber. He’d be great.
Don’t hold your breath they do not want to write story for Becky been on for 25 years she is well liked on and off camera I will be honest have not watched in four years or more but I do know from what I read how they treat her over there have no desire to watch it myself as I have always liked her character . I always hoped she would find another job where she was appreciated. It would literally not shock me if they end up making her the killer I’m the story they have going on over there then they can write her out. Geeze you know Frank needs some more shirtless non actors on that show ugh
This was a complete rewrite. Reese Marshall who came to town as an FBI agent was a very much alive “Carly”. She had survived the car crash and became involved with Sonny. She helped him rescue his children when Faith Roberts kidnapped them. AS I remember her character was involved in two of the shows best ever shoot-out sequences.
The character was killed later in a train wreck. The actress who portrayed “Reese” was Keri Wuhr. When she was killed off the show she was pregnant in real life and sued the show for wrongful termination. I don’t believe the case went in her favor.
I was mistaken. THe actress who played the real “Carly” was Kari Wurher. GH must have been a bad experience for her as there is no mention of it on her Wiki page, Biography or IMBD!
No the original Carly was Sarah Brown she owned the character
you are correct but she used her ex-best friends nickname “Carly” as her own. The so called “real Carly’s” name is Caroline Benson.
I meant the Carly we have known since Sarah Brown and all the others through Jennifer Bransford and now Laura Wright has the real name Caroline Benson.
If you followed the story, after it was revealed that she was Caroline Benson, the daughter Bobbie Spencer gave up for adoption, Carly Roberts (now Corinthos) admitted to taking the name of her childhood friend who was believed to be deceased. Later Reese came to Port Charles as was revealed to be that friend (I.e. the original Carly Roberts).
Yes, Sarah Brown was the first to play Caroline/Carly, but Greg is correct in his use of “real” for the Reese version.
Kari Wurher does list GH on her IMDb page but not her original 15 minutes of fame on MTV’s game show “Remote Control”. Ah, good memories.
Thanks Steve. This was a really confusing rewrite to a lot of fans. THe writers should never play so fast and loose with the show’s history.
As much as I like Laura Wright she does bear some responsibility here for the confusion. She should have done her research into what occurred in this storyline which began before she joined the show. She would have known then that this rewrite was just that and may have chosen to play these scenes in accordance with the show’s history.
Actresses are not responsible for how the story is written nor the dialogue they use!
Elizabeth Korte is the GH staff writer responsible for continuity and historical accuracy. Lately she’s been playing a little loose with history. Trying to squeeze a window for Dominique to have Mac’s kid when she was on screen the entire time is glaring example of pushing the boundaries.
The actors and actresses that portray the characters usually have nothing to do with the direction that a storyline takes. So it’s a bit unfair to blame Laura Wright. While it’s probably a good idea for them to be aware of the character’s history in order to better portray them, it is the writers that are responsible and should be aware of previous storylines. I think that the writers are really letting the fans down by continually rewriting history as they have done pretty regularly over the last year or so. Whether by design or by accident, I know a lot of fans are extremely frustrated by it. There are multiple storylines that have been drug way too long, several that have been introduced and then seemingly just dropped or the ones that go against the what long time fans have come to know and understand as a favorite/despised character. Sonny is a perfect example of the latter. Whether you like him with Carly or prefer him with Nina, Sonny isn’t the person he was before he fell of that bridge and lost his memory. That storyline is also, in my opinion, why an actor should NOT be allowed to switch things up because they’re board with the character they’ve been portraying for decades.
Kari Wuher played a FBI agent
What I find absurd about this excursion into the past — and its consequent rewriting of history — is that the time period of the prostitute careers of Ruby and Bobbie took place before those characters first appeared on the show. So the writers are adding backstory to backstory and altering facts along the way. And to what end?
Oh Jamesj75, I wish I understood the thinking behind most of the recent hare-brained decisions going on here. I’ve decided it’s either (1) lack of respect for longtime viewers who remember details (can’t you just picture the “no one will remember” remarks around the “brainstorming” sessions) and/or (2) genuine ignorance of past plotting which is either laziness or, again, lack of respect for us. The worst part of all of this is that another Carly-centric story is brewing and that means more Drew and Sonny also. Which, for me, usually translates to fast-forward. Good to read your thoughts again, my friend!
Soaphound, terrific to see your thoughtful reply here. I agree with your assessment, including the “‘brainstorming’ sessions,” lack of respect for longtime viewers, and the brewing Carly-centric story. We have seen such instances previously. It’s nauseating, really. Some of us longtime viewers DO remember past plotlines. I think the repeated attempts to prop up Sonny and Carly (and, in the process, garner Emmy nominations) are simply and unfortunately the overriding doctrine of this show. You aren’t the only one using the fast-forward button… Please take care, Friend!
I guess I don’t care about all of the versions of “history” surrounding Carly or who played her. Not to take away from the good acting by Laura, but I just don’t like the character.
rose
Hi there! I agree with you about the history but I must say, especially since I love Linda Purl, I am loving this go-around with her and Carly whom I never thought I’d agree with.Also didn’t know Linda could play totally obnoxious so well. They make a good toe to toe pair.Guess I’m with Carly on this one.
Violet…Actually I am finding Carly’s “go-around” with Peyton (Linda Purl) a little amusing. Finally Carly has a tough adversary. Even though a “family” home for Ruby I must admit I also would want the “rooming house” gone.
Oh Violet, I do love Linda Purl, especially in this scene-stealing role. Back in the 70s, I had a tremendous crush on Shaun Cassidy and Linda made a dramatic T.V. movie with him in 1979 called “Like Normal People.” It was about two mentally challenged young people wanting to marry and I still recall Linda’s deeply moving performance. Nice to see her still beautiful and her acting chops better than ever.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
View this post on Instagram
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair
After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!
In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.
Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.
MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP
Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!
At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC
BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY
Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”
LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER
In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?
So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.
-
Days Of Our Lives1 week agoDAYS Stephen Nichols Remembers Drake Hogestyn as the ‘Most Vital, Enthusiastic, Committed Man I Ever Knew’ Ahead of the PanCan PurpleStride Walk
-
Days Of Our Lives5 days agoDAYS Stephen Nichols and Co-Stars Walk in Honor of Drake Hogestyn at PanCan PurpleStride LA, ‘I Felt Him With Us’
-
General Hospital4 days agoBrandon Barash Granted Restraining Order Against ‘General Hospital’s’ Kirsten Storms
-
Days Of Our Lives4 days ago‘Days of Our Lives’ Rob Scott Wilson Talks ‘Turning Heel’ as Necktie Killer, Ben Weston
-
General Hospital1 week agoPaige Herschell Marks One-Year as ‘General Hospital’s’ Jacinda Bracken
-
General Hospital6 days agoGH’s Giovanni Mazza Performs Violin Version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ at LA Lakers Playoff Game; Co-Stars Heap High Praise
-
Days Of Our Lives3 days ago‘Days of Our Lives’ Conner Floyd on Chad’s Quest For Abigail’s Resurrection; But Who Should Be Cast as NuAbby?
-
General Hospital1 week agoSteve Burton’s Wife, Michelle Lundstrom, Raises Alarm on AI Scammers and Hoaxes, Pretending to be the ‘General Hospital’ Star