General Hospital
GH's Maura West Talk's Ava's Pregnancy, Crypt Sex, and Daytime Emmy Snub!
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
Last week viewers of General Hospital watched as Sonny (Maurice Benard) armed with the truth confronted Ava (Maura West) that he knows she shot and killed Connie Falconeri!
When about to shoot the mob gal, Ava had one more bombastic surprise that she pulled out of her sleeve! … she is pregnant with either his child or his son Morgan’s (Bryan Craig) child! Now the plot thickens and the question remains … is Ava really pregnant? From this week’s ABC sneak peek, does Ava visit Britt (Kelly Theibaud) and hold something over the doctors head and make her an accomplice to a cover-up?
TV Guide Magazine’s Michael Logan caught up with two-time Daytime Emmy winner, West to get the skinny on the story beats, how Ava has had more than nine lives and not been killed-off yet, and the fact that Maura was shut-out of a Daytime Emmy nod for the Outstanding Lead Actress race when many thought she was a shoo-in!
Maura on Ava’s pregnancy and if she is faking it: “Well, you could only fake something like that for so long. I guess there could be ways around it but, frankly, I don’t yet know how they’re going to handle it. What we’ve already shot is really cool, though. It’s injected with the gravity of Sonny’s death threat, but it’s also been infused with great humor and fireworks. It’s a lot of fun. The idea that this could be Sonny’s son or grandson really plays into history because, for him, family and children are all-important. If Ava were pregnant with someone else’s child, he’d kill her for sure.”
Maura on Sonny and Ava’s crypt sex scene at the Quartermaine mausoleum which caused some controversy amongst fans: “You know what? A lot of people seemed shocked by it and I was very surprised by that reaction. I was never even thinking about the locale! I was thinking about Ava’s pain. She told Sonny that she ‘walks the earth with an unfathomable burden’ — a line I really loved that referred to Connie’s murder. She was so heartsick she almost told Sonny about it right then. But for a lot of the audience that scene was all about crypt sex.”
Maura on why she thinks she did not land a Daytime Emmy nomination: “I don’t know. Maybe the reel I submitted wasn’t the right choice. But that’s okay. Really okay. It would have been great to be nominated and a real honor but I still show up every day on the set and work as hard as I always do. It doesn’t change a thing. I was much more surprised that GH didn’t get nominated for best show or writing or directing. That was the snub, if there is such a thing. I watch our show every day and it’s pretty phenomenal.”
So, what do you think about Ava escaping death and getting to live another day via a pregnancy? Do you think she is really pregnant? If so, who is the baby daddy? Will Britt help Ava? What did you think of Maura’s omission from the Daytime Emmy Lead Actress race? Let us know and check out this sneak peek below from this week’s GH!
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.
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
DANCING WITH THE STARS: A Shocking Elimination on Grammy Night Leaves Ballroom Silenced
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
‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (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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I really love MW’s portrayal of Ava Jerome. Hope she sticks around for awhile.
Still hate that AJ died, and the crypt sex, but that’s not her fault.
Keep up the great work Ms. West! You are a great addition to GH.
I looked at the crypt sex scene as an act of passion. Both Ava and Sonny were in a dark place and they both forgot themselves. Under normal circumstances they wouldn’t have hooked up. I really liked that scene actually. I didn’t just look at the sex part of it.
I predicted the pregnancy long ago so no suprise here…crypt sex, Cranco sex(carly and franco sex on plane) and any sex scenes with Tracy/Fluke and especially Micheal/Kiki i could do with out…next Mr.Marbles will forgive Epiphany and they’ll have a sex scene…lol
Well, Mr. Marbles already has a woody.
The cowboy from ‘Toy Story?’…lol
That was a nice interview with Maura West and i liked that she was okay with not getting an Emmy nomination this year.To her maybe just doing the best job she can is enough.As for Ava i do think she’s pregnant but i’m wondering if she was lying to Sonny only to find out she is indeed pregnant.As for killing Connie that wasn’t something Ava planned to do versus trying to kill Franco last year.So maybe in her own way Ava does feel guilty about killing Connie.
Ava killed Connie to protect Julian actually. Her intention was to warn Julian but Connie was in the office instead. Ava was the one who found AJ drunk. I like MW’s acting. I was surprised she didn’t get nominated as well. Ava is not more a killer than Sonny, Julian and company. Carly and Shawn planned to kill Franco.
Love Ava!! She is Amazing.
Maura deserved a nomination for her incredible job as Ava Jerome. She brought life back into the series, and has been giving consistently amazing work. She is such an actress beyond her years; she has that Old Hollywood vibe about her. Greta Garbo and Katherine Hepburn kind of talents. I love me some Ava, and I hope that she continues to be given the material. I’d rather Ava kill Sonny and put him out of his misery. Ava is too good to let go!
I agree with all you said…hope she’s nominated next year…i dont see Sonny getting killed off…i see Ava and Sonny eventually getting together…maybe!!!
I don’t they’d let Maura go from the show, it’d be a big mistake of them. She’s too much of a genius and icon to be let go from the show. She has been killing it with everything she has, and the material for her is some of the strongest that the show naturally has.
I agree with your reply as well…she’s too good to let go…i liked her on ATWTs too but i like her better here!!!
Ava does act like the older actresses. I like her voice tone and expression. She sometimes reminds me of Marilyn Munroe the way she puts her lips.
I could see where people see Marilyn, too. She’s just an old soul with a very old Hollywood vibe about her.
Hmmmm…Game of Thrones does crypt sex….and then shockingly…so does GH. This regime needs to remember that this is daytime…not primetime…not cable…..and not a limited run edgy nighttime show. Things like corpse sex and men (and I use that term very loosely) threatening to murder pregnant women is not why we watch these shows. Ron clearly wants to write for cable where his “evil always triumphs” mantra can be realized…so he should start applying for those jobs. Send out out a few spec scripts Ron. The past few months have just been a farce, with criminals waltzing in and out of jail, making absurd deals and demands and getting out of paying for their crimes. Any regime that continues to make Finola Hughes’ Anna look like a moronic fool ought to be dismantled.
This…that last sentence. I agree Johnny.
Bob Guza also tried to replicate primetime cable as seen with his obsession with The Sopranos. Trying to aspire to loftier heights in of itself is a good thing, but both BG and RC seem to want to imitate plot gimmicks rather than dive in there and get to the heart of the character. I don’t watch Game of Thrones but what made The Sopranos interesting to me was not the whackings but the characters. The same hold true for Mad Men. I maintain that if the character is interesting, intricate and compelling, the story will follow.
and an innocent man like Ric Lansing can be framed and go to jail!
Maura West is a pro! Just adored her on AS THE WORLD TURNS and even watched THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS waste her talents in that messy Diane Jenkins plot. Thank goodness, GENERAL HOSPITAL hired Maura West and gave her a role that is so layered and fascinating. I do hope for a redemption arc (and fall!) at some point but for now, this woman is a spider. I suspect we will have more opportunities to understand why Ava is who she is. And with Maura West there, I will be watching.
so many things wrong here … Ava is not 20 or even 30 .. it would not be easy for her to get pregnant in the first place .. then there’s the fact that she had sex with Sonny maybe 2 weeks ago so knowing she was pregnant so soon via a pee on the stick test would be highly inaccurate .. a blood test would be more conclusive but given its the GH lab and Britt involved … PLUS if she was pregnant why was she having tropical cocktails while at Sonny’s island hideaway .. she turned down the waiter’s offer of another because she was going to be leaving …. if indeed she is truly pregnant the likelihood of its being Sonny’s is slim more likely its Morgan BUT given that Morgan and Sonny are related – father and son – the DNA would be misleading .. oh wait this is a soap .. riiiiiiiight
It’s funny how things play out, when the show is bad we fans are more cryticall of “crypt sex” ect but when the show is on full cylander like it been since Friday then u can get away with being a little out there, if that scene played out now it would have people talking. Prob in a good way , or saying can’t believe they did that. All I want is for the show to stay on track, I m loving that Liz is on air in the middle of what’s looking to be am interesting storyline as long as it plays out in a good time frame n doesn’t drag on for eternity.
Maura West is the best actress in all of daytime. She most certainly should have been nominated. I hope RC continues to write well for her. Don’t want to see her backburnered for too long ever.
MAURA WEST IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS THE MAIN REASON I AM NOW A G.H. FAN AND TURNED OFF Y&R AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I adore Maura West. I agree; she was definitely snubbed this year for an emmy nomination. I love how she can switch from evil to vulnerable in a split second. I don’t love to hate her; I just love her! A great, great, great addition to the show. Multi-talented!
Maura has always been an outstanding actress. The fact that she goes to work every day and gives it her all, not for the glory but for the good of the show, shows that she is also an outstanding human being. I hope that Maura and Ava stick around Port Chuck for many years.
Maura West is phenomenal as Ava. Her acting style is amazing. The way she transmits her character’s emotions without speaking– that’s real talent. As for being snubbed by the Emmys… meh. The Daytime Emmys have been a joke for as long as I can remember.
I never seen Sonny and Ava’s sex as nothing but what it was..
Two dark souls bonding.. And, it was hot and outstanding! ..
The way some fuddies seen it you’d have thought they had sex on the Popes bed..
Britt plays a bitch supremely! I feel she will go on the darskside again and help Ava!!
Sonny and Ava are a powerful couple; Sonny finally met his match!
Ava is the only woman that can handle Sony and I do feel they will become a couple, a never a dull moment couple!!
Without a doubt– GH was greatly snubbed ..
Something is dark behind the curtain about that happening..
GH has been phenomenal both stories and `acting` ..
A soap that went from death row to doubling its’ viewers that speaks volumes that GH is indeed of great quality!
So many high drama stories are coming-up !! Looking forward to all of them 🙂
((love Sonny & Ava!!!
We have nothing against Sonny and Ava having sex, and they do have good chemistry together, so we are on the same page there…however, having sex in a crypt is gross and offensive…showing respect and having morals dont make you a fuddie!!!
It was only a stone crypt not a church..
Actually– having their burden release sex in a crypt was showing just how sudden and unexpected it was..
It was a surprise shocker, for them to do the nasty, and doing it in a crypt ,for them it was befitting lol ..
For Ava and Sonny to have their explosive sex in a bed on white sheets would not have had the bang needed to express them as in the crypt.
It was an powerful and stellar performance from Maura and Barnard ..
I liked it!! luv them, an Intense couple !
Absolutely right, jimh! Additionally, I really have to wonder about the mentality of someone who is still wildly raving over a truly appalling and distasteful sex scene which happened months ago….
I never said it was a church but still sex in a crypt is tasteless and tacky even for Sonny and Ava and i they didnt have to do it in a bed with white sheets…you probably think im an old prude…well, its partly true…lol…i like Sonny and Ava…id rather they do the ‘nasty’…somewhere else…even in the Qs Mansion id could accept…wouldve been funny had Alice caught them and chased them out…lol…having them do in the crypt was truely ‘NASTY!’
jimh..
Sonny and Ava were far from even being connected in any way outside of a secret and protecting each-other..
They simply had a moment haa..
They were bursting with fear and disgust for what they had done and wallah guilt release!! right there bang! It was not making love nor was it sex, its was a whole different release going on it was more mental than physical..
The crypt was a great place for them to do a death knell nasty haa..
A crypt start to them most likely trying to kill each other before thy love..
anyways;; it was down and dirty HOT .. as it was meant to be 😉
The nasy was suburb!!
@su000000000000000000……..Still waxing orgasmic over this scene, I see…..Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that you must have it saved to DVD so that you and your cats can enjoy that disgusting, declasse’ display over…and…..over…..and….OVER again??????
suOOOO, i guess youve traveled over to the darkside and there is no saving you now…lol
LOL, jimh !
All should cross over to the dark-side , even to the grey side!!
It is fun watching the soaps from here!! Lots of laughs 🙂 lol ..
Shay, naww not disgusting, declasse’ just simply good ”wow” soap stuff, where else but on a great a soap would we get to see the nasty in a crypt. LOL.
((gotta love the soaps
((the soap watching from the dark-side has a secret;; never take a soap seriously just have fun.. 🙂
There is no reality in fiction .. !!..
Maura west rocks!
How is Maua West being snubed? I believe she has two emmys the one great thing about the nominee’s except for Heather Tom is that we have new faces. Why can’t we have some other talent honored? I am sorry but her character of Ava does nothing for me Cynthia Preston’s Faith was a lot more interesting, I have been down the route of Sonny treating women like second class citizens. Every time she comes on the screen I find her channeling Marilyn Monroe.
Cynthia Preston’s Faith was a blast. I SO hated to see her go but it was amazing she lived as long as she did considering everything she got into!
Why is Ava killing any worse than Sonny trying to kill a very young undercover cop–both were killed within some bizarre set of mob rules that include killing those that would risk your organization.
Of course both are abhorrent, but Sonny was not only forgiven by the son he tried to kill and the mother of that child, the son perjured himself for “daddy” and the mother ended up falling in love WITH THE MAN WHO TRIED TO KILL THEIR SON!
Sonny and Ava really do deserve each other but how anyone can watch this show and not think that Sonny is not the worst character most deserving of getting locked up is a mystery to me. He tried to kill his son (and who cares that he didn’t know dante was his son–he tried to kill a twenty something cop that justifiably was trying to get the goods on him). He has repeatedly endangered anyone that he supposedly loved.
So Ava’s “redemption” has a lot less to go than Sonny’s did. If RC is moving him toward a point that everyone rejects him for just how repugnant a human being he is, that would be a set of acting opps for Maurice Bernard that would be worth playing out
Maura is simply amazing and I love her Ava. I’m more likely to fast forward through a scene than actually rewind and watch it a second time, but I had to rewind and watch her tears during the scene with Sonny on the island. She digs deep. Hope she gets a nomination and win next year.
She’s an awesome actress and has brought a lot to GH in her role as Ava. She’s the only character in the Sonny “family” that I like.