General Hospital
Jonathan Jackson Interview: His New Role On Nashville Gives GH Favorite A Chance To Showcase His Many Talents!
Courtesy/ABC
Five-time Daytime Emmy winner Jonathan Jackson will finally debut this Wednesday, October 10th (10PMEST/PST) in ABC’s highly touted new dramatic musical series, Nashville!
After needing a break from playing the day in and day out emotional ringers of General Hospital’s Lucky Spencer, Jonathan decided to leave GH at the end of last year, and quickly was cast in the new ABC primetime series as aspiring singer/songwriter, Avery Barkley! Now anyone who has followed Jackson’s career knows that not only does he act, but he is indeed a singer/songwriter, and has his own very popular band, Enation. So with Jonathan being cast in this most buzzed about of new series, television fans nationwide will get to see the many talents of this young star.
On-Air On-Soaps caught up with Jonathan to get his thoughts on: his new character, getting the opportunity to sing in the primetime series, if he will share screen time with another soap alum, co-star Hayden Panettiere, and taking a brief stroll down memory lane to the red carpet at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys this past June.
Soap fans are looking forward to seeing you and Hayden Panettiere (Juliette Barnes) together on-screen in Nashville. In the pilot episode, you two literally bump into each other! Will the two of you have more scenes together as the first season of Nashville progresses?
Courtesy/ABC
JONATHAN: I think that is somewhat inevitable, and our characters do bump into each other in the pilot. We had shot the pilot a while ago, obviously, and then started filming all-new episodes on August 3rd. But in terms of the long term projectory, I don’t know where the two are headed. It’s pretty mysterious right now.
You have said in interviews that your character of Avery Barkley is not a good guy, nor a bad guy. Any change in that philosophy?
JONATHAN: One of the things that Nashville creator Callie Khouri is good at is character development, and having the characters have complexities and contradictions. I think there are going to be a lot of surprises thrown at us as actors through the season … who are these characters and what is going to come out of them in certain situations and with certain other characters. So I am just really excited to be a part of that. I am interested to see if he is a gray character, and not black nor white, or not!
So I hear you and the cast are performing some Elvis Costello tunes in Nashville?
JONATHAN: Yes. They are all originals. These are all songs Elvis Costello wrote, but they had never been recorded before, and T-Bone Burnett is producing the music. It’s pretty crazy!
Courtesy/Enation
Would you try to get a song from your band, Enation on Nashville, or the soundtrack for the series?
JONATHAN: Well, only God knows, right? But they are open to hearing some stuff. I am trying to schedule a day in a studio in Nashville to record some demos, because some of the songs that I think would fit with the show I haven’t demo’d … ever. I have a lot of songs that I have written that I had not recorded with the band that I could send to them. Hopefully, I will get a couple of days to record some of them and see if something can fit for Nashville!
It has been so cool to watch your career. You started out as a very young boy with this knockout performance on General Hospital as Lucky Spencer, left the show to do feature films, your music, your writing, came back to GH to reprise the role of Lucky and won two more Daytime Emmys for it to add to your collection. Nashville seems, on paper, like the perfect storm for you … acting and music colliding in a big way, where both your passions come together in a role on a major network television series!
JONATHAN: It’s amazing to do this type of show, and for me it’s incredible! I have had conversations with my brother, and even my father who said to me a few years ago, “You know, what if there were a show about a young musician? And you guys should write that!” And I said, “Yeah, that would be great. But … do you have any idea how hard it is to get a show on the air?” And then, this show happened. It’s crazy!
So you and Lisa and the kids moved to Nashville? Everyone is moving to Nashville: Steve Burton (Jason, GH), Scott Reeves (Steven, GH) has home in Music City, etc.
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
JONATHAN: We did make the move to Nashville. We are renting a house, and we are on blow-up mattresses! (Laughs) It’s an adventure.
When I last saw you, it was at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys and we were on the red carpet doing our interview, and all of a sudden we heard all of this commotion. We turned around and saw an alligator (thanks to Jack Hanna) coming at us, among other things! Have you seen the video interview? It is really quite funny!
JONATHAN: No. I haven’t, but I wanted to see it! I just couldn’t believe how close Jack Hanna was getting to us. He was bringing these animals towards us! And, I am not an animal expert. I don’t know what they are going to do! I am a human being here. (Laughs) I thought, “What the heck is this?” Wasn’t it a porcupine and an alligator that went by us? Oh, man! (Laughs)
So soapers, will you be tuning-in to see Jonathan in his new role on Nashville? Are you looking forward to seeing him sing on the series as well? And, would you like to see him return for a guest stint on General Hospital? Let us know!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Cynthia Watros Honors Former ‘Titus’ Co-Star Stacy Keach Following His Passing
General Hospital star Cynthia Watros, who can currently be seen in on the ABC soap opera in the role of Nina Reeves, has had a enduring career in television. That included her time on the 2000-2002 Fox sitcom, Titus.
In Titus, Watros starred along with Stacy Keach as Erin Fitzpatrick and Ken Titus, respectively. After the November 10th news that Keach had passed away at 85 while living in Poland, Cynthia took to her Instagram on Thursday, November 12 to pay tribute to the great actor.
Watros expressed, “My first prime time show was along side Stacy. I loved him instantly. What an amazing talent and man.❤️”
Photo: ABC
In Titus, Stacy played stand up comedian Christopher Titus’ heavy-drinking, chain-smoking, five-times-divorced father who frequently pulled cruel pranks and tried to toughen his kids up. Cynthia played by Christopher’s level-headed, big-hearted girlfriend trying to build a normal life with him. In fact, Cynthia’s role on the sitcom was first series regular role after her Daytime Emmy run of Annie Dutton on Guiding Light which ran from 1994-1998.
STACY KEACH’S WIFE ON HIS PASSING
Keach’s wife, Malgosia shared the news of the actor’s death publicly in a statement with PEOPLE. Malgosia expressed, that Stacy had, “a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure.”
She added, “Stacy peacefully departed this world. He fought for so long, with extraordinary courage, determination and strength. He was a true warrior, facing his illness with the same remarkable spirit and resilience that defined his life.”
Małgosia continued, “Stacy was not only a legendary actor, admired and loved by audiences the world over, but also my beloved husband, my companion and the heart of our family. His passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in our lives. But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever.”
Now, let us know do you remember when Cynthia made her sitcom debut in Titus? Share your thoughts via the comment section on Cynthia’s many TV roles and the passing of Stacy Keach in the comment section. But first, check out the very first episode of Titus with Cynthia Watros below!
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
‘General Hospital’s’ Cynthia Watros Honors Former ‘Titus’ Co-Star Stacy Keach Following His Passing
‘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)
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)
‘General Hospital’s’ Cynthia Watros Honors Former ‘Titus’ Co-Star Stacy Keach Following His Passing
‘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
-
News3 days agoY&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
-
Previews4 days agoTHE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
-
General Hospital3 days ago‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
-
Days Of Our Lives4 days ago‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
-
Days Of Our Lives7 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 Hospital7 days agoGENERAL HOSPITAL: Tracy Leaves Port Charles to Help Dillon; Paving the Way for Jane Elliot’s Temporary Exit
-
News6 days agoB&B’s Lawrence Saint-Victor to Guest Star on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
-
Days Of Our Lives1 week agoRaven Bowens Breaks Silence About Being Fired From ‘Days of our Lives’ and Her Future Plans
Awesome interview! But I’m a little confused b/c I read in the Washington Post that JJ did in fact already record a song he wrote for Nashville and they are going to use it on the show. Maybe that happened after this interview took place?
I’ve been very excited about seeing Jonathan on Nashville plus we get the bonus of watching him sing. I’ve been a long time fan of his and have missed watching him on gh so as long as gh gives him a great storyline I hope he’s able to return for a short time. He’s one of the best actors I seen in a long time and he so deserve any success that comes he’s way.
He is an awesome actor. Ever since I saw him in “The Deep End of the Ocean” I have followed him. He was fabulous in that. Can’t wait to see him in Nashville.
Not watching.Boycotting ABC except for GH.Been on another network would have checked it out.Sounds like a copy of Country Strong.
Ditto for me Mary
Jonathan is an incredible actor and singer and the guys in Enation are absolutely sweet and down to earth and their music is inspiring and really really good. I’m so happy that Jonathan finally found something that clicks with him. The people at GH should be ashamed of themselves for not giving Jonathan what he needed. He came back to GH and I started to watch again, hoping that we would get our LnL2 reunion, but was disappointed with TPTB, who ruined it for us, thank God, they have new writers and producers. Thank you Jesus!
Great interview with J.J. I wish him the best on his new acting adventure! “Lucky” him to perform two of his loves, acting and singing in one of this years hot new soaps Nashville.
Johnathan: I love you! I simply love you.
Now listen up. I hope your head doesn’t get to big and you blow up on this show and forget about General Hospital, your historic character and heir to Luke and Laura. Yes, I want you to be a BIG STAR big as they come. In fact, some of the bigger star’s being paid BIG BUCKS you can RUN CIRCLES AROUND, acting. You should have long… gone BIG-TIME in Hollywood. Here’s the deal: Please always save time and space for your role of Lucky Spencer. That character is a ” heir ” to an IMPT legacy on the show-greater than NONE OTHER in Daytimes ” Rich” history. So if Genie Frances comes back, PLEASE PLEASE and PLEASE, come back to the show (even if you have to pre-tap scenes) and complete the Luck, Laura, Lucky, Lulu family. You can do this for along time IF they (the writer’s) know how to make it work with your other job, Nashville. The pleasure as YOU, (a grown Lucky) with Lulu, Luke, Laura, and YOU ALL being on the canvas for a long period of time, hasn’t been. Please Johnathan Jackson, give that to us providing Genie Frances comes back. If we see you as a Spencer ( four ( 4) times out the month, that’s BETTER than NOT seeing you at ALL. We love you Johnathan Jackson. And you will be more loved for this. Good Luck on Nashville and I hope to see on General Hospital (here and there) but as long as I see you.
Thank you in advance.
Michael said: So soapers, would uyou like to see him return for a guest stint on General Hospital? Let us know!
1love says: No Michael, I would NOT like to see Johnathan return for a guest stunt. I would like to see him return on a permanent, less than half time basis. Like 4 times a month. Go to the Gh set twice a month and shoot his scenes for the whole month. Thats what I would like, given Genie Frances return.
Nice interview with Jonathan, Michael. He is one of the most talented actors ever. I hope this show does well by him. I know I will be watching! Good luck..Lucky…
very excited. will definately watch.
It’s so nice to see Jonathan on Nashville. He can do no wrong acting wise. I like the show so far and hope he will be the break-out star as the show continues. Actually, the show is really a soap in night time.It’s too bad GH couldn’t do the same……