General Hospital
Jason Cook Set To Exit GH! Would he return to DAYS as Shawn-D?
Courtesy/ABC
Jason Cook’s time at General Hospital is apparently almost up! The actor who has played Dr. Matt Hunter since 2008 has been informed that he will exit the series sometime next month. But would Cook return to Days of our Lives if the opportunity presented itself to reprise the role of Shawn-Douglas Brady?
Tonight at the Days of our Lives Paley Center For Media Panel discussion, members of the DAYS cast were asked by emcee, Alison Sweeney (Sami), what person do they miss the most from the cast? Kristian Alfonso (Hope) said she missed Jason Cook and the character of Shawn-Douglas, her on-screen son. With the new writing regime in place, and Cook becoming available, maybe the timing could be right for a return to Salem!
Cook, on the other hand, spoke to Soap Opera Digest about his GH departure, explaining that even before his upcoming exit, he was planning on doing some of his other projects and was going to ask for time off anyway. Jason stated, “I was going to have to take several months off the show for all these other things I’m working on. One would have been this summer, to do LifeCHANGE (his project with Arianne Zucker, Nicole, DAYS] and other shoots, as well as my new cooking show, Chop This. It’s an on-location cooking show with a different restaurant chef showing us a couple of recipes each week. It’s going to start online at www.chopthis.com. If Genreful (his short film with GH co-star Bradford Anderson) gets funded, I have that to do, too. So, I am stepping away for the time being. There is no talk about me coming back, but I was going to have to take time off anyway.”
So what do you think of Jason being written-out as Matt on GH? Would you like to see him back on DAYS as Shawn-D? Let us know!
Would love him back on Days, but only if Belle, and Claire returned with him.
Please say it is so. I love Jason Cook as SHawn D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would love for Bell and Claire to return and Jason Cook . Jason Cook and Bell made a good pair. I would like them to come back as a couple. Maybe have them get married on the show. They don’t seem to get many young couples getting married on the show. They need to get rid of all the action and get back to more romace sceens.
I’m new at watching DOOL since OLTL left. Really enjoy him sounds like a good idea. Hate to be losing Matt.
Sorry to see this Character depart. But the writing was on the wall, something has to save Maxi! Wish Jason best of luck in his future plans!
GH and Days could do a switch. GH gets Sarah Brown and Days gets Jason Cook.
BTW, what I just said wasn’t met to be pejorative or anything. I have a great amount of respect for both soaps. I just think that the switch could be a great idea that mutually beneficiate both soaps.
Good Idea Heather.
Matt should have hooked up with Elizabeth or at least been given a decent storyline instead of twisting in the wind. Poor Patrick, what is he going to do without his brother? Does this mean Matt is guilty of murdering Lisa and Maxie is going back to Spinelli? Yes, Shawn should return to Salem; Days could use all the help it can get.
his character was not written well from the beginning – it is a shame because there was much potential there for him……………….
i am so happy that he has some major projects lined up!
I agree his role was not fully developed.
Sorry… Jason Cook… but I am Spixie all the way! If your leaving means you are going to jail for killng Lisa Niles and we get Maxie back and back with Spinelli… well than everytthing is great!
I would like to see Shawn-Douglas, Belle, Chloe and Phillip come back. I think they are more interesting than Billie, Austin and Carrie. I think Kim and Shane’s son, Andrew, would be a good addition to the scene. Also, I would like to see “Days” revisit the Nicole and Eric romance. Nicole has become such a great character and it would be fun to actually see her smile again.
I hear Chloe is returning, or at least in the talks. I would love to ese Shawn-D. Maybe it would stop Peter Reckell from leaving and give Bope something else to focus on other than Stefano.
If Matt goes to jail, for being drunk as a skunk and he accidently sent lisa flying overboard Thats wrong, the pcpd knows what lisa did , He should get a award of some kind for finally taking her down she was crazy. If he goes to jail I hope john mcbain goes ballistic and starts throwing every one involved with the mob behind bars that have been in jail for a second then diane or alexis gets them out. He doesn’t remember, He was at a party, In a boat, in the middle of where ever, she was up to no good, oops she goes over who cares, we saw what she did to patrick and robin , He wasnt in a car, he was at a dumb party it was a accident , case closed. And finally Lisa niles is GONE. So let matt leave town not go to jail.
ITA. Besides, Sonny and Jason should pay for their crimes…NOT MATT!
I don’t think Sonny and Jason will ever pay for their crimes, Matt will, the good guys always do , doesnt make any sense does it? Lisa niles tortured patrick and robin, So matt did every one a favor and the pcpd know it, Matt being the good guy that he is will turn himself in. Guess we find out today.
well, this sucks, hope he comes back down the line.
I really thought he was wasted on GH. He has a lot of comedic talent ,is charming, great looking and simply delightful. I really wish they had invested in him. The hospital staff is shrinking fast! WHY???
Nice Read! charming, great looking and simply delightful…. doesn’t he man up and then some…. if given the chance.
I liked the character Matt on GH, but figured he was going to be heading out when I assume he killed Lisa. I really like Jason Cook and loved him on DOOL. It would be smart of DOOL to bring Cook and Kirsten Storms back as Belle and Shawn if Kirsten is well enough to work. Loved her as Maxie, but it seems her time at GH is over.
You’re right. It would be smart of DOOL, but they seem to be doing some dumb things with the veterans that they do have over that. How do you bring back characters like Jack, Carrie, and Austin, then turn around and let the actors go just months later?!? They’ve totally destroyed the character of Carrie to the point that I hope that they kill her off when she leaves. They’ve gotten Jack and Jennifer back together to just to tear them apart again when Matt Ashford exits. Jason would be better served trying to get fully immersed into prime time/big screen.
I agree. I love Jack & Jennifer and Matt Ashford. I’m to the point where I wish Carrie had been blown up in the cabin (no offense to the actress) because they’ve destroyed her character. And I am not loving this version of Austin either. I read on another site that apparently Jason Cook has so many different projects going on that he was going to ask for time off of GH. I doubt he’ll return to DOOL in the near future due to his busy schedule.
This sucks. Jason was SO GOOD with Kirstin on Days, and they just wasted him on GH. I was hoping that the new team would utilize him more on the show. I hope he goes back to Days.
If he goes back to Days, I believe he would end up being underutilized. They’re wasting a lot of talent at DOOL these days too!
I don’t care if he comes back.. Days just needs some good writing.. it has been many, many years since they had any good writers..
His closest thing to a story line was what Matt had with Elizabeth, and it was actually pretty decent but RC was clearly not pursuing that so he would have continued wasting away with Maxie, who’s become intolerable and can’t stop saying the word “selfish”. Way better to quit.
Where is Shawn D, Belle, and Claire Its been way to long
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.
View this post on Instagram
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
Y&R’s Matt Cohen Talks Role as Compassionate Zookeeper in Rom-Com ‘Christmas at the Zoo’
Alice Halsey Returns to ‘Days of our Lives’ as Rachel Black – Find Out How Long!
-
News2 days agoY&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
-
Previews3 days agoTHE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
-
General Hospital2 days ago‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
-
Days Of Our Lives3 days ago‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
-
Days Of Our Lives6 days ago‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (Exclusive)
-
General Hospital6 days agoGENERAL HOSPITAL: Tracy Leaves Port Charles to Help Dillon; Paving the Way for Jane Elliot’s Temporary Exit
-
News5 days agoB&B’s Lawrence Saint-Victor to Guest Star on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
-
Interviews1 week agoRoger Howarth Reflects on Daytime Emmy Win, 32-Year Record Gap, and Embracing Matt Clark on ‘The Young and the Restless’ (Exclusive)
