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Jonathan Jackson talks on his hopes, the future, and his decision to say goodbye to GH!

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

What a Christmas bummer for soaps fans!  We have to say goodbye to the talents of four-time Daytime Emmy winner who is exiting the canvas of General Hospital as Lucky Spencer this week.

Jackson caught up with ABC Soaps In Depth to discuss his decision to leave the show, what he had hoped would happen with the Lucky/Liz pairing, and if he might reconsider his decision in the future and return to GH.  Here are a few excerpts!

Jackson on the challenges with the Lucky/Liz love story:  “It’s difficult to tell love stories in a day in and day out medium. It can easily become a little bit mundane. I think there’s a way around that, but it’s not easy. The answer can’t be to always have one of the two people betray the other one and have the whole thing fall apart because the characters end up compromising everything about themselves. There has to be another way to have drama without the characters themselves doing that to themselves or doing that to each other. That would be the challenge: how do you create drama and suspense nuances but maintain the integrity of the characters? That’s really difficult to do.”

Jackson on if he might return in the future: “I hope that the show can continue to thrive and be successful. The world is a fluid place. Things change and evolve. Everything in this world is temporary and transient to some degree.  It’s the eternal things that matter and the relationships with people that matter. Those are the things that I try to focus on and hold onto.”

ABC Soaps In Depth goes on to say, “With the behind-the-scenes regime change at GH in the new year, all this might, indeed, change, and Jackson might be back on your screens after a quick negotiation and compromise. Jackson fans, cross your fingers.”

Are you sad to say JJ go? Do you think a deal will be struck with Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati that will bring Jackson back to GH and in a creative forum that works equally for the show and for the actor?  Let us know what you think!

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I agree with what he said about the love stories being a little mundane….because it does become all too familiar and predictable sometimes with soaps. I mean, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sitting in my living room watching a soap, and can say the lines or predict the actions before the characters act them out. It would be nice for someone to surprise us every now and then….and rather than drag a story out to nauseam, they actually get to the point….or have the characters say what any normal person would say or do in a real life situation. That would be a twist and a change that would be well received by the audience.

I love JJ’s Lucky Spencer and I want him back on the canvas pronto!

At this point it would be a surprise if Lucky and Liz got back together. GH is in free fall and disintegrating, about to crash and burn, with so many characters written off and actors leaving. Bringing back Lucky and reuniting him with Liz would help, and FV and RC are probably smart enough to figure that out. But whether anything or anyone can save GH from Katie is another issue.

I do hope that the new regime is doing their homework and that they are studying the history of this great show and its characters. I hope they don’t turn GH into OLTL. I’m not saying one is better then the other, they both stand on their own legacy. So yes, I’m hoping they realize how valuable Jonathan is to the show, as well as Nathan Parson who i hear is also leaving, and do everything possible to keep the people we want to see, and not make the mistake of bringing in new people to soon.

What I was sad about is how the last year they have written for this character and his exit story was awful obviously they did not feel inclined to write for him in a positive way. Get prepared for all out of work OLTL actors over here and how does that help, look how Y&R has been ruined. GH just start working with your cast and get back to basics. JJ good luck! Go back to movies and your band and be happy!

It is so sad when the powers-that-be allow these kind of travesties to happen! I’m appalled that such an asset to the show is leaving and with the current changes in cast. Lexie & Nathan have a gold mine of potential, but alas they screwed that too. If/when GH is cancelled, they have only them selves to blame. What a shame!

Cant replace Lucky nor Cole on OLTL.

*gets down on knees and prays like a 6 year old hoping Santa comes soon* Please please please let this work out! GH w/o JJ has always seemed less alive.

This mans talented and maybe knows GH is next to be cancelled.
So go out while hes fresh in peoples minds.
I wish more HIM luck, he’s just a great actor and deserves a BIG shot at the Big Screen.

GH is looking to be cancelled, first they don’t jump at the chance to have Genie Francis return and now they are letting Johnathan Jackson go. The writers must want to crash and burn.

PLEASE PLEASE ALL YOU NEW WRITERS BRING JJ BACK HE IS THE WHOLE SHOW NO ONE & I MEAN NO ONE CAN PLAY LUCKY AS HE WILL ALWAYS BE LUCKY & LUKES COWBOY I PRAY EVERYDAY THAT IN 2012 THEY WILL FIND A STORY LINE FOR A REUNION WITH LIZ AS I WATCHED THEM TOGETHER IN THE 90’S THIS IS MY NEW YEAR DREAM PLEASE PLEASE BRING MY JONATHAN JACKSON BACK HE IS A 4 TIME EMMY WINNER HELLO GH WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT HIM AND RECAST???? OMG NO NO NO PLEASE!! NO ONE CAN BE LUCKY BUT JJ HE IS THE REAL LUCKY I HOPE YOU WRITERS ARE READING THIS BECAUSE WE ALL WANT JJ BACK PLEASE!!!

Please bring jj back..I love him..Work it out with him please..
Love lucky…
Please come back.

He is the original Lucky. The writers should bring him back and Luke too. I liked Luke as the wonderful drunk he was. Luke being sober… A 32+ year fan! I remember the Campus Disco when Luke raped Laura and the whole Frank Smith saga! Bring JJ back…

I understand why Jonathan is leaving. How much doom and gloom can a person subject themselves to as an actor. They could have added some fun in the mixture and maybe he would stay. Ridiculous, all the great actors on GH are leaving. Personally, who really cares about the Shawn character. Bring back Jax to stay.

I hope they do bring Jonathan Jacks back at Lucky he is so good.

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark

Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”

In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.

It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.

Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.

You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.

So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.

As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.

Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC

Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.

BROTHERLY LOVE?

Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”

With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”

BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE

Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”

So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair

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After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!

In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.

Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.

MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP

Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!

At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC

BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY

Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”

LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER

In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?

So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.

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