General Hospital
General Hospital's Maurice Benard Posts Special Video Message To Fans!

Courtesy/MBYouTube
Today on his You Tube Channel, General Hospital’s Daytime Emmy winning actor, Maurice Benard (Sonny Cortinhos) has posted a very special message to his fans for their strong support about his latest storyline where Sonny has been off his meds for bipolar disorder, and encouraging people that if you see anyone with the signs or symptoms to get them the help they need!
Over the past several episodes. Sonny has really been on downward spiral which has also given viewers another wonderful opportunity to see some stellar performance from Benard, which come Emmy time, just could be in the running! It all started after his fiancee’ Connie was killed, and Sonny went off his meds and contemplated suicide, and from there his erratic behavior culminated in Monday’s episode where Sonny had a public meltdown at Kiki and Morgan’s Party.
In the video message Benard relates: ”I want to thank everybody for their support during this Sonny off his meds/bipolar storyline. It was pretty difficult but fun at the same time. Soaps do a really good job at bringing awareness to these kinds of causes because you can do it on a soap in real time. So, if you know anybody, who you think is suffering from any kind of mental illness, all you have to do is call your local mental health association. Some of the symptoms are racing thoughts, not sleeping, crying, anger, different things like that … a lot of things you saw Sonny doing on TV. But it’s very important that someone get treatment and get help, and with treatment and help you can live a productive life, as you see I have. I have been on my medication straight for 20 years and everything’s been fine. So thank you again, and on to the next!”
Watch Maurice’s message to his fans on his recent storyline below! Let us know what you thought of his performances and the thoughts conveyed in his video.
I love Sonny/Maurice!!
He has given his all, most his life to GH and his fans!!
A great actor and man!!
Thank you, Maurice, for having the courage to speak out through your character of Sonny and through your own life of how vital it is for people who exhibit these symptoms to seek out the help of mental
health professionals before it’s too late to save a life from either suicide or homelessness. I admire
how you’ve taken control of your life and have been pro-active in helping others with this debilitating
mental illness.
Boise, Idaho……
he was A W E S O M E
i love how he has always been so open about his own personal struggle and i must say maurice did an awesome job with this story line……..
he’s so great, I’m gushing.
I think he has been superb in this storyline. Also, sharing his personal struggle so openly for so long really helps break the stigma of mental illness and I am sure has encouraged others to seek help. Very inspiring.
WELL , SONNY YOUR STORY LINE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE AND THERE CHILDREN . MY GRANDSON HAS THIS PROBLEM AND IT WASN’T A PRETTY SIGHT IN FACT DOWN RIGHT SCARY TO WATCH . OVER THE YEARS NOW THEY CAN LIVE A NORMAL LIFE , SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT ROLE ON THIS SICKNESS…./////
Emmy winning performance. Doesnt get much better than that.
Well at least GH treats the subject realistically and with respect unlike Y&R who uses the condition as a gimmick to get a character like Sharon to do things she would not normally do because the writers have no imagination. Thanks for treating the topic seriously GH and for MB for using it as teaching moment to help others.
i have to post again….
Sharon….. Sharon Case.
it’s alarming… in your face…. this shouldn’t be happening….
Where is the Sharon… who… like… Maurice Benard… and countless others… who have given their lives… careers… making daytime their home… with us…
Sharon… was not atypical… was so relevant… and moved; us, in the audience…. that the wrong side of the tracks… crossed… and she found love… made a life with… and questionable… OK it’s serial… but… she persevered… endured… and I related to
I just can’t believe the writers at Y&R think this is OK…
which is my cross.. but… the Newmans’ be damned… the men are allowed to lord over…
come home Sharon
the perfect scenario… would be that Adam and Sharon… reign supreme… and these two, truly… are… and should be Genoa City dynasty
I didn’t for one second… appreciate or like the ghost of… her beloved Cassie… “helping” along… her mother…. which was clearly the opposite… and in the end… it’ll be…. poor sharon…. needed help
anyway… MarySF
I’m glad that posts are sharing… points of view… that, are on queue…
relative
which was my first… thought… upon reading your’
MB is a class act no doubt about it. Love him. Great story line for him but then he is always the best.
I for one knows what its like…i have struggled off and on with depression for years(have gotten help)…several family members have too!!! Maurice is doing a wonderful job!!!
Jim.
you are an integral part of this site….
it wouldn’t be … without your sense of humor and storyline ideas.
honestly… most vent, praise, are up in arms… livid… angst ridden….
and it’s theirs…
thank you for sharing… that it’s OK to have trials and tribulations…
the stigma… differences shed… are not unlike
Thank you, Patrick…this site wouldnt be the same if you werent a part of it…always love reading your comments!!!
I HATE Sonny, never ever liked him. But I have ALWAYS liked Maurice. He’s always come across as such a giving, gracious and grateful actor. I applaud his courage in speaking out for bi-polar and mental illnesses. There is still so much stigma attached to bi-polar disease and other mental health disorders and I really admire his bravery in putting a face and being one of the first to give a voice for the illness and providing hope to people who are suffering. I don’t know what’s going on with Sonny and I don’t think I could care less if I tried, but great on Maurice for continuing to send messages like these to the public.
@Jules.
I just read yours… after already posting to jim… above…
well said…
putting out their… words… help
Thank you, Maurice, for being so open and honest in your portrayal and sharing information on this disease. It has to be difficult and taxing. Mental illness still needs to have light shed on it to bring it to the forefront, especially for young adults; it is rampant. There is always hope and help to be found. I applaud your courage, and am happy you are healthy!! You are a fabulous role model and actor!
He is doing a great service with this message and his openness and honesty about his situation and his very strong performances with his bi-polar disorder. Well done Maurice!!!
Maurice is so great with what he does.He’s letting people know about His disease and to help people going through it.Love you as your actor and love you with your life.Keep up the good work.
I to am bipolar. Sonny leaves such an impression on me. I know how it is. You get to feeling better and you think you don’t need the meds, then the world falls out from under you. Hang in there and lets both continue to do what we know we need to do. I love General Hospital!
Don’t give up or let go, Betty. You’re not alone in this struggle. Someone close to me has been struggling with this for more than twenty years. He’s lost to us;but we still hold onto the hope he will return to us some day. It’s my hope you’ll be one of those bi-polars who really does know what “we need to do.” Best wishes for a healthy and happy life now and always.
Maurice Benard is an amazing actor! I have loved him since his short stint on All My Children as Nico Kelly. As much as I think (part of ) the storyline was ridiculous, the dumb Michael, Kiki/Starr, nuMorgan part, everything else was well-written and well-acted, beyond my expectations. Maurice has chemistry with every talented person on the show, to name a few, Laura Wright, Maura West, Kelly Sullivan, Tony Geary. He brings his “all” to each and every scene. From someone who also struggles with depression issues and medication issues, the highs and lows really hit home. Thank you, Maurice!
Good night, all, and sweet dreams.
Enjoyed every comment on bi-polar issues. Well done!
Thanks for the opportunity to read all of these comments. Very helpful. educational and compelling.
Even when I can’t stand some of the things his character does, MB always comes across as a class act. He’s been doing a really good job with this current storyline.
I thin u are a great actor! I often wondered how this story line was effecting you. I’m glad it didn’t . There is a rumor that you are leaving G.H.!!!!!!! hope not!! I for one would not want to watch it!
Beyond the Gates
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers

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.
General Hospital
Antonio Sabáto Jr. Breaks Silence on His Son’s Arrest for Fatal Hit-and-Run

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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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos

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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