General Hospital
Marcus Coloma Did Not Film His Final General Hospital Scenes Due to ‘Health Issues’; Plus More Details On His Departure
On late Tuesday afternoon, a rep for Marcus Coloma (Nikolas) offered up a statement on just how Marcus Coloma wrapped up his time on General Hospital.
It has been previously reported that once Coloma learned he had been let go he refused to film his final GH scenes as Nikolas Cassadine. However, he would last be seen on-air in late January.
However, according to Deadline, Coloma, and ABC and General Hospital, came to an agreement “that he should not film the remaining few days of the year” following “health issues with his recent Covid exposure”. That exposure has kept him away from being at the set recently.
In addition, Coloma’s rep is claiming that Marcus was not fired from the ABC daytime drama series, but simply his contract had run out. Coloma reportedly signed a three-year deal back in 2019 which was now fulfilled by the network.
Deadline shared the letter in full (below) which is addressed to Coloma’s fans and colleagues:
Dear Friends and Fans of Marcus Coloma, “As mentioned in a statement provided by ABC, we wanted to confirm that Marcus ‘will no longer be playing the role of Nikolas Cassadine. His last airdate will be at the end of January.’ Marcus has wrapped his 3-year contract with General Hospital and has thoroughly enjoyed working on the show with such a talented group of actors, writers, producers and directors. Unfortunately, due to health issues with his recent Covid exposure, the network graciously agreed that he should not film the remaining few days of the year.
Marcus has been thrilled to bring nearly 300 episodes of the iconic and complicated character of Nikolas back to life. “I was immediately taken with the family feel of the ensemble cast,’ said Coloma. ‘And I fell in love with the extremely passionate fanbase. Their outpouring of love and excitement, week after week has been unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. I will always be grateful for their kindness and support.”
So, what do you think about these clarifications from Coloma’s rep noting that Marcus did not tape his final scenes due to a recent Covid exposure and he was not fired, but his contract came to an end? Comment below.
OK, well I suppose if your contract is not renewed it is perhaps not technically the exact equivalent of being fired. But really it’s splitting hairs. The upshot is the same: Those in charge either didn’t want him personally or the character of Nikolas on the show anymore. And that’s showbiz, as they say.
It was nice of him to give a shoutout to his fans and say something flattering about his castmates — after unfollowing them all on social media. One thing’s for sure: His publicist has earned his paycheck today with some professional damage control.
I’ve seen it widely reported that MC unfollowed his castmates, but I think that’s all been blown out of proportion. Who someone follows is private. I think someone just made that up and it took off. My social media is locked down, I’m sure an actor on a soap where the “fans” can (& are) horrible human beings, is locked down too
Sorry but don’t believe it. Plus your REP makes a statement? Marcus is on social
Media all the time with live videos. He could have spoken his own words there. He previously said he couldn’t comment due to something ?? Contract runs out is nothing big at all.
exactly.
I agree. Why did it take 2 weeks for PR to come out with this story? I smell damage control. Oh what a tangled weave…
Many months ago on social media Marcus mentioned that his GH contract was up soon. So, from what is now known, GH did not renew the contract. That’s not the same as being fired and I hope more people understand that. Also, Marcus is a great person and is active on Instagram so I’m sure with his great acting skills and large fanbase, he will find new employment quickly.
Not renewing someone’s contract is the exact same thing as firing them. “We don’t need you anymore”.
It is the same as being fired if Nikolas isn’t being killed off.
It sounds like a face saving cover story to me. I think GH and ABC are being very generous to him by letting this be the official story.
Like I said before, I will miss him as Nikolas. I liked what he brought to the character. I will accept a recast as long as they don’t bring Tyler Christopher back and if they do end up going that boring route please do not revisit the huge snoozefest that is Nik and Liz!
Question remains. Will GH kill Off Nikolas Cassadine, recast, or bring back Tyler Christopher who is the Original Nikolas Cassadine.
My odds:
60% recast (new actor, not counting temporary time by Adam Huss)
30% Tyler Christopher returns by May sweeps
10% kill off (dead-dead like AJ, Emily and OG Georgie)
Although Genie would knock the grief plot out-of-the-park, one would think Frank wouldn’t make that mistake again.
Would love to have Tyler Christopher back playing Nicholas!
All about covid
If the Covid exposure claim is real, why did he abruptly stop following his cast mates? Why is this statement coming out weeks later?
In soaps, not being offered to have your contract renewed is the equivalent to being dismissed. To use semantics and say he wasn’t “fired” is just a technicality.
Wondering if the months long shutdown in production in 2020 caused contracts to be extended by a few months. Coloma started airing in Nov 2019 and his last air date will be Jan 2023.
Marcus obviously wants to find new work and doesn’t want a reputation as being difficult. Let’s just wish him well.
Where is proof that he stopped following his cast mates? Or are you just spreading gossip spread by others. My social media is locked down – I’m sure his is too. We don’t know who he follows or doesn’t follow.
Not gossip – an easily checkable stat that was widely mentioned on other sites.
On Twitter you can easily see who someone follows – the account doesn’t show if you mark it private. Just checked and Marcus has stoped following anyone.
And, yes, as Em checked, he’s still following Kin and Mo on IG as they regularly make videos together.
It’s just a fact that Marcus stopped following his castmates. I believe the first reports that Baby Wah Wah threw a tantrum upon learning his contract wasn’t renewed and refused to film his last scenes to be true. Why did it take 2 weeks for his PR agent to come up with the real story? Clearly, they’re trying to rebuild the bridges Marcus burned.
on Instagram he’s still following kin n marcus
Weird how in Marcus Coloma video he released talking about his departure from the show sounded more like he was fired kinda thing than this article is letting on to believe.
Think it’s an excuse to cover up letting Marcus go
nope.
Sounds like ABC could create a new soap called “Behinds the Scenes”
With all that has happened to the once beloved ABC soaps… they would have lots to write about. I do however, appreciate that GH is still on the air.
I do remember back in an interview he did in June it was said his contract was up in a few months…but he was hoping it would be renewed and said it was up to the powers-that-be, so I knew it was because his contract wasn’t renewed. If he’ll no longer be playing Nikolas, unless they’re killing the character off, (which I hope don’t do. Then-writer Carlivati getting rid of AJ was hideous), then it’s the same thing as firing him.
No offense but he isn’t important enough to have a PR team, plus, his social media activity shows other than what this statement says. This is damage control for him to try and take the narrative time, but it isn’t working for me. Can’t cover up the unprofessionalism of walking off-set and refusing to film.
If they are keeping the character than why recast! Marcus did an amazing job! So much storytelling for his character also. Definitely more to this story. I’m very disappointed this happened.
I love marcas so much I am going to miss watching him playing nikolas I want to see Adam Huss to take over the role and I want him back and on contract and on the opening can you please help me out thank you so so very very much
He fulfilled his contract and it wasn’t renewed so it’s not exactly the same thing as getting fired but they chose not to renew it so they chose not to hire him again. He did fulfill his contract and I hope maybe he will show up on one of the CBS soaps. I have a feeling that his contract was not renewed because they are bringing back Tyler Christopher I know many say they will never do that but I’m not so sure about that especially if the fans want it. TC had mental health struggles which he admitted, he got help for and now he’s trying to stay on the right path. I think he deserves another chance.
I hate to see him go. He made that role his own. Bring him back!
the statement was by his pr team. and with him not finishing his scenes his pr had to come out with something because i heard he was very angry that Disney didn’t renew his contract. he n covid 2 months ago. his pr team have to protect his career.
Exactly. I give ABC a small amount of credit for allowing Marcus to use this “health issue” ruse to cover what actually happened. Career saving indeed.
I wish Tyler Christopher would reprise nikolas
GH sucks we all know nutty Esme is going to shove him off a cliff and we’ll be told he died but they’ll bring in the guy who replaced this nic when he was sick or Tyler.. GH writers need to pay those 2 year olds that’s writing for them more money GH you need new writers for years, new producers, new owners, then maybe GH could be saved. You drag out so much BS and take FOREVER to finish the storyline or it doesn’t get finished. You have literally ruined sonny’s character, he is nutty Nina’s twin. You could send him and her to outer space on a one way ticket. Sonny’s character has been dumbed down so bad I don’t see a comeback. Send them away
Why would he delete all the GH people from his social media like that? That’s what tip everyone off that he may have been let go. I don’t understand why nobody clarified when the original announcement was made that he had not refused to film his final scenes. People have been talking about this for a few weeks now.
Unless Tyler Christopher is coming back letting him go is a bad move in my opinion. He did a great job with the character! I’m sad to see him go.
Rather have performed 3 years instead of being let go. He was hired to do a task under contract and completed the obligation specified under contract.
Wish him well moving forward.
Covid? Lol. Covid is a cold.
Well, JJ, over a million people who had COVID would like to have a word with you. Unfortunately, they cannot because they are dead.
OMG. Tell that to the families of the millions who died worldwide. Or, those like Emma Samms and the many still suffering long term effects.
Maybe you got it and luckily had a mild case. Not all were so fortunate.
Right… and Hell is just a sauna.
JJ,
You sound like an ignorant idiot!
Non of this makes sense. Renew his contract. Not fire him. Marcus Coloma wouldn’t take to social media and say he is sad over this. Something else is going on. If he couldn’t go to work because of Covid, then he can film his parts when he goes back to work. Come in on the weekend like the rest of working society. If you’re missing days,the PTB shouldn’t mind. It’s not like you’re taping more scenes. It is too fishy for me. Something behind the scenes is going on. If he got fired, then Marcus is not bound by policy.
Why would Marcus unfriend his cast mates on SM everything went down like his reps stated. Anyway, As you wrote in the worsts of 2022, NC has fallen farther than Esme off the parapet of of crappy storylines. Is the character off the show or being recast?
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.
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‘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
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THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
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