General Hospital
General Hospital names Shelly Altman New Co-Head Writer!
There is more shifting and changing going on behind the scenes in soaps these days than in the cast lists! News today out of Soap Opera Digest is that General Hospitalhas done another shake-up at the top of the writing regime! Shelly Altman has been named the new co-head writer, and she will work alongside already previously named new co-head writer, Garin Wolf.
Altman has previously written for One Life to Live and Another World, among other television projects. Altman won a Daytime Emmy award with the the writing team of One Life to Live in 2008, and has also received Best Writing nominations from the Writers Guild Of America.
So what do you think of this news, soapers? Many fans have been commenting recently and have been disgruntled with the show recently under Garin Wolf, and were previously disgruntled with the show under Bob Guza. Perhaps, Altman is the ticket? Let us know!
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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‘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
B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
‘Days of our Lives’ Veteran James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis
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Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m actually really enjoying Wolf’s writing. Lesser known characters are getting fleshed out (Matt, Steve), dialogue is more intelligent, history and veterans are better utilized, etc. Even Elizabeth, a character that I thought was utterly ruined by Guza, is back to her flawed but charming self. My favorite part of the transition is that the mob/hospital arcs are balancing out – not every episode feels like the Sonny show. I still wish they’d eliminate the Franco nonsense, but as it’s unlikely, I’ll just hope it’s less painful to watch 🙂
Interesting. So the fact that they are bringing on someone to help (isn’t she a breakdown writer for GH?) seems to mean that they are still willing to invest in this show and give it a chance to succeed. At least that’s how I would like to look at it. Viva la GH!
So this news + the Michelle Val Jean news makes for some pretty fun dot-connecting!
Can we please get some new writers on Y and R..I barely watch anymore..its really really bad.
After today’s discraceful episode, not amoment too soon!
*disgraceful. Sorry.
Hopefully the addition of Altman will give us somebody who can actually follow through on a storyline instead of just throw us a couple of tease. I like wolf a whole lot more than guza but so far he’s not delivering either. If you wanna really give the show a boost, don’t tell us what you hope to deliver but actually deliver. So far under wolf everything stilll feels like guza s gh. Its like everyone is in limbo. everything is prolong much longer, it feels like jason and sam have been on their honymoon forever, the maxie and spinneli storyline plays out the same way everyday, its like reset, repeat same problem, same everything , their storyline is going nowhere . the people we thought we would start seeing more of are still appearing like day players, i’m not seeing mac, monica, more under wolf then when guza was writing, and the lead players are still in their same boring storyline that guza had them under. hopefully Altman will bring a female touch that gh lacks under their head writers like guza and wolf.
Something – or someone – needs to happen, and, hopefully, Ms Altman will be to one to work with Wolf to realize some of the potential, On paper, many of the current stories look good, but the delivery is failing. Once promising dialogue has turned repetitious. Yes, Wolf has showing more balance in a wide use of characters, but his weekly balance isn’t working because of the “block” story telling. Dropping characters mid-story while focusing on another block of characters for a two-week story isn’t working. That is NOT the way to maintain interest. Hopefully, a co-writer will help GH get off the sandbar that Spinelli’s little boat became stuck on last week. Right now, the show has parallels to the agonizing slow-moving boat cruise story which is drifting without a captain.
IMO, yesterday’s GHepisode was a “slap in the face” to Claire Labine and Robin and Stone’s HIV/AIDS storyline. To have someone, a doctor no less, threaten to inject a HIV-person with HIV+ blood went way OTT even for GH. This totally belittles one of the greatest storylines GH has ever done to continue with a storyline that should’ve ended along with Guza’s departure.
Jason Thompsom, Kimberly McCullough and Brianna Brown were excellent in yesterday’s scenes. What bothered me was GH even went that route all because of obsession and jealousy.
Looks like part of Altman’s job will be to reign Wolfe in on making sense with stupid storylines.
I love GH and am a lonnnng time fan, and am in favor of the new, fresh turn it is taking, away from “mob activity” and back to more character driven storylines. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Jason and Sonny immensely, but the personal side of their characters, and how they interact with those they love, as opposed to mob killing and dealings all the time. That being said, as long as Garin Wolf and Shelly Altman have been brought in to truly help GH withstand and overcome the soap world decline, then I am thrilled and will back them 100 percent, but if they were put in place by Brian Frons, to help bring the show down (which I can see Frons doing), then I find that revolting. I guess time will tell. Long live General Hospital and the wonderful characters many of us have loved for years, and much good luck to Garin Wolf and Shelly Altman!!!!
sonny and brenda needs to reunite in 2012