General Hospital
Maurice Benard Reveals He Just Signed New Contract To Stay With GH!

Courtesy/ABC
Within the last half hour, Daytime Emmy winner and soap superstar, Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) has announced that he is staying put at General Hospital and that he just signed his contract to stay with the lone ABC soap, which is on the rise!
Benard revealed both on his Twitter account and Facebook page the following: “I just signed my contract for General Hospital. It makes me feel good that I’m not leaving my family.”
While the details of how long the contract is for was not revealed, it looks like this major player is on board to continue to see what is next for Sonny Corinthos under the more than capable hands of of executive producer, Frank Valentini and head writer, Ron Carlivati.
So soapers, now that you know Maurice is continuing on in Port Charles, what story would you like to see next for Sonny? Let us know!
Ugh, why do they insist on keeping him?
Because he has fans who love him and he is a great part of GH..
I like the way he is being written, lately..
I agree. Maurice is amazing. They need for Sonny to move out of the mob and become a mentor or something positive.
I would rather hear that Jack Wagner, Tristan Rogers, Kimberly McCullough, Genie Francis, Wally Kurth, Stuart Damon, Vanessa Marcil, Ingo Rademacher, or Jonathan Jackson were coming back and on-contract! This has been the Sonny show for almost 20 years and the show should let him go or revert him to back burner because I am so sick of Sonny, his world, his women…it’s all been done to death!! This character overstayed his welcome and I am just as done with him as I was Jason. I would have loved for today’s breaking news to be that “Maurice Benard Follows Steve Burton’s Exit from GH!” I don’t want to be mean because I think Maurice is talented and a wonderful man but this character ate the show and my utter disgust for Sonny is all due to the people who ran this show into the ground for over a decade. I love what FV and RC are doing with the show but the one person I still fast forward unless he is in scenes with AJ is Sonny!!!
I couldn’t agree with you more! Add Jackie Zeman, Denise Alexander, and Kin Shriner to the list I’d take over Sonny! I’ve watched since 1973–long before Port Charles ever heard of Sonny Corinthos. Had he been tied to the show’s previous decades (son of the late Dr. Phil Brewer, Jessie’s monster of a husband, or another unknown son of the late Dr. Steve Hardy…), I might’ve cared more. But as you said, it’s all been done to death. I detested the last producing and writing regime and am a huge fan of EP Frank Valentini & Writer Ron Carlivati from their work on OLTL, too. They have turned the show around so much, I can’t wait to see the next episode from day to day again for the first time in many years. They have brought beautiful BALANCE back to the show, and I’m actually enjoying ALL the stories, with former legendary characters back in action again with current existing Port Charles residents, with a nice splash of OLTL’s Llanview thrown in. As long as Maurice Benard as Sonny Corinthos is a part of the show again, and not THE SHOW, I’m fine with him staying. I appreciate his acting, though have never been a Sonny or Jason Morgan (only Quartermaine) fan, because the show focused exclusively on them and a few others in their orbit like Carly & Sam, but I am at least enjoying Sonny’s story since it focuses more on Kate/Connie.
Excellent post!
I agree with your comments above.
I hope GH did not waste a good portion of their budget on this character. This character has been worked to death. All he does is read the cards and mumble his way through his lines. Maurice did not even have chemisry with Vanessa on her brief return. Vanessa had so much more chemistry with Steve and Dominic during her short stay.
Thank you Marisa I thought I was the only one that notices he is looking off in no man’s land half the time he is reading cue cards and gets paid probably the most of anyone on the show.
i am a true sonny fan 100% am glad he is staying because the rating boost will
only last for a short while and maurice is well loved by alot of fans
and i cannot wait for steve burton to return and he will
abc and rc and fv know they need to keep him on gh
and i agree bring vanessa marcil back as brenda for sonny they did have a wonderful love story
but just my opinion but i am glad he is staying
I love Sonny Im a true fan of his. I have been watching him on GH since the show first aired. GH will not be the same without him.
I would like the writers to send him on a very long vacation. I am so sick of the Sonny show. His character has become so pathetic. It is painful to watch him try to act. I have no compassion for this sick killer. Connie is the sane one. She wants out. Kate is crazy for wanting this mobster. Please give Sonny less air time. GH has such a great cast. The writers need to use all of the talent on the show. The show is so much better when we see all of the characters with story lines.
What Sonny show? What show are you watching. It’s the Todd show!!!!
yes love sonny, i love todd as roger howarth but too much air time
i say get rid of connie before she destroys johnny z. love brandon barash
as well
Agree.. I fastforward thru much of Sonny’s scenes… Def not watching because of Sonny..
Probably because the whole show revolves around him in one way or another! Im glad.
Sonny has half his screen time..
I wish he would get a good story and be back on my screen..
He has’t been played as often during this past year..
yeah i want to see more sonny and i guess abc agrees they did re new
his contract i think he is a beloved character and abc knows it
just like eric b on y&r
I love Sonny.. good to know he will be around, most likely, to the end ..
yeah, yeah yeah!!!! love those dimples
I am happy.Fan of Sonny’s.Happy to see my
old favs return and still keep MB.Sonny &
Brenda one of my all time favs..New
Writers are doing a great job with storylines
For all..
i agree melissa
yes melissa bring back vanessa marcil aka brenda for sonny
they had one of the best loved storylines and were a great soap couple
I think the writers and the exec are spreading the storylines around . It is not the Sonny Show anymore. Good fo!r Mr. Benard
mb has less air time but when he is on you know it and believe me i am a mb
fan love him 100% he is the main reason i watch daily and dvr and re watch
on soap net at nite
i would love for jason aka steve burton to return to be with sonny in some kind
of storyline
With all due respect to Mr. Bernard, as the story begins to take shape around the Quatermaines, he is becoming an outsider. The writers clearly don’t want this to be a crim drama and neither do the fans.
GH revolves around Sonny becuz that’s what the majority of the fans want! Love him or hate him but he still makes a huge impact on practically every loyal viewer, either pro-sonny or against him.I personally admire him for being a manic depressive in real life and how it was written into his character becuz of that. After my own diagnosis of the same illness in the late 90s I’ve been hooked since. Kudos Maurice, and goodluck!
agree 100%
rachel you are right kudos to mb and his loyal fans
This is the best GH news ever. GH got this one right. The show is doing so good now and with Maurice on board will only continue to rise. I want to see the Kate/Sonny/Connie story play out. This is definitely the best writing Sonny has had in a really long time. I am a happy Mo fan this morning.
i am as well a MO fan and have been for 20 yrs or more
and fv and rc know they need him on gh anyway they can get him
could you imagine him leaving just shortly after steve chose to leave that would
be really a bad move for gh and abc knows it
he has millions of fans because when i say what soap i watch the reply is always the same “i love sonny and jason”
now maurice is staying i hope steve returns soon to kick aj out
cannot stand aj, duke or faison get rid of the asap!!!
I think you guys are being unfair. It has definitely not been the “Sonny show” since the regime change. The stories are much more balanced across all characters. I love that Sonny is staying. Thank you Maurice and GH for continuing to make terrific stories.
I agree. It is a much more balanced ensemble. Frank and Ron did that for years over at One life to Live. They know how to mix storylines and characters better than any team in daytime.
So very happy Maurice is staying. Love the man and love his character. I am glad they now vocus more the Family man than the Mobster angle. Now we need Jason back. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE GH.
yes!!! love maurice and steve and am happy he is staying
Looks like I still need to keep the remote handy…I will continue FFing most, if not all, Sonny scenes. I absolutely hate the way he yells and struts and plays god all the time. This would have been the perfect time to retire Sonny and all things mob related!
Ditto!!!!
Ditto also!
I’m so happy he is staying! The difference in the Sonny character since Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini took over is wonderful and I’m excited to see what they have in store for him. I’m enjoying the character for the first time in years. Ron gets the character and it is obvious Maurice Bernard is once again enjoying playing him!
Hurray!! A great actor staying till the end, unlike another who quit!!!
Unfortunately Sonny and Maurice have become, to GH, what Reva and Kim Zimmer was to GL: the character that ate the show. Both are (in my opinion) very talented performers, and both have played characters who have been allowed to overshadow the rest of the show’s characters, to the show’s detriment. I like what Carlivati and Valentini have been doing in terms of trying to restore some perspective–Sonny is actually suffering some fallout with Michael because of who he is and how he has behaved, instead of everybody automatically worshipping everything Sonny does and thinking he can do no wrong–but I really think the show could use a break from Sonny. Failing that, I hope they’ll continue moving toward a balance of stories and an ensemble piece, rather than the Sonny-(Jason)-Carly show that GH has been for years.
I used to share in the anti-Sonny vitriol, but I like the balance that the new regime has employed. It’s no longer “The Soapranos.” By putting Finola Hughes on contract and making Anna Devane the police chief, it’s clear that the PCPD are no longer going to be the Keystone Kops. Steve Burton’s departure further diminishes the Corinthos empire. I WOULD like to see Tristan Rogers put on contract as Robert Scorpio. His scenes with Constance Towers yesterday were MAGIC! “Science fiction? This from the lady who tried to freeze the city with a jewel-powered weather machine?” Delicious!
That was a great line yesterday – those were the 80’s! ha!! Would love to see more of Tristan Rogers 🙂
He has been on GH a long time…I like the change in his character…I don’t think it is the Sonny show quite as much now. As it was two or three years ago when it was the Sonny show…We see our favorites too..Everyone gets their turn.. One more tidbit , I read ABC Soaps in depth and it said Lucy Coe is coming to Port Charles on Dec. 14…In
time for the hospital ball………….That is good news……
Actually for the fist lime in 20 yrs, I am actually liking Sonny. The show is no longer the Sonny show, it is more balanced and the Q’s and the Scorpio’s are slowly coming back front burner. As long as it keeps going and Sonny finally goes to Prison (Briefly) that is progress. MB is glad that Sonny is finally acting Human.
Very happy, even though I don’t watch GH
I’d like to see him be a grandfather to Dante and Lulu’s child. I like Sonny, and his adorable dimples : ) I’m sure they can find a story for him. Maybe he could get some life threatening illness which would bring out his vulnerable side? I’m sure the writers will put together a good storyline for him. He’s got potential. IMHO.
Sorry to hear of the re-signing – the character of Sonny out-lived its usefulness years ago. Hate the mob, hate all in its orbit.
I’m glad Maurice is staying. Despite what some believe, it is not the “Sonny Show” anymore. I think the show is more balanced now.
I’m not sure what I want to see for Sonny romance-wise. Something needs to happen with the Kate/Connie thing because her schtick is getting old, but since this a former OLTL regime, I can see the DID storyline going on and on. Not to mention I also smell a Natalie/Jessica (two different fathers or two fertilized eggs) with Maxi being Lulu and Dante’s surrogate. I think they will have Maxi and Spinelli sleep together and Maxi will probably be pregnant with both Spinelli’s child and Dante and Lulu’s baby which, of course, will cause so much angst and go on forever. 🙁
I think I would like to see Sonny spend more time at the new boxing ring mentoring boys and being a grandfather, things like that.
Now if they could only give him a worthy leading lady!
WOW…First of all, if you’re really watching GH then you know this show doesn’t revolve around Sonny.
LOVE MAURICE & I’M SO GLAD HE’S STAYING!!!!!!
I really hope they reunite Sonny & Kate soon. Looking forward to Sonny becoming a grand dad. More Sonny & Dante please!
Without Maurice & Sonny I wouldn’t be watching GH, period.
And I said that without bashing any actor I don’t like and it was really easy to don’t lol
I am glad he has re-signed. I do however think he needs a woman that he can have a relationship with and explore that again. I love Kelly Sullivan’s Kate/Connie but I love her as her..maybe not her with Sonny. The scenes with Johnny & Connie sparked some interest, perhaps once shes whole..they may explore that. But to see Sonny with someone else…don’t know who, or someone new? Just needs a fresh story for a new year 🙂 LOVE GH!! 🙂 Looking forward to 50 yrs of GH hitting!
I’m glad Maurice is staying until the end. I love Sonny and the mob stories. I didn’t watch in the 80s or the 90s so I don’t know who all these people are and it makes GH not as enjoyable to watch as before for me but its more balanced and the show is doing better ratings wise.
i agree love the mob storyline and sonny i have been watching for 22 yrs and
do not remember much of the 80s and only got hooked on sonny with brenda in
i think the early 90s but not sure
do wish brenda would come back they had a great love story
I’m glad he’s staying. It wouldn’t be GH without him..BUT, IMO they have got to release him from his isolation with Kate and put him back to being involved with his family and children and Carly. IMO, when they removed him from those connections, that is when his appeal and his character took big hits and made him dull and uninteresting. Looking back this began when they started to remove him from the mob and put him with Emily and then Kate, changing him to someone he really wasn’t.
I don’t see anything wrong with him being a mobster, he was ALWAYS a the mobster with the heart and he should have stayed that way. Kate has practically destroyed him. I say get rid of her HER.
Soooo happy Mo is keeping Sonny on GH! MB is an elegant, gorgeous man and a phenomenal actor under any talented pen. I love whenever Sonny is onscreen doing what he does. The Q’s and all those returning characters mean absolutely nothing to me. I would trade every one of them, wrap them all in a bow and ship them back wherever they’ve been for all these years – to keep Sonny. Everyone has a right to their faves and MB’s Sonny is polarizing but, worth every dime they pay him and MORE, IMO. Thank goodness, TPTB get that. Kudos to them, congratulations, MB and yaaayyyy Sonny fans!
yes i aagree with what you say these returing characters mean nothing to me
hate aj they think he can replace jason/steve burton NOT!!!!!
i love to just look at maurice in anyway i can see him everyday love the dimples
and agree he worth every dime they pay him abc knows they need him on gh
so does fv and rc i also love the mob storyline
glad to hear he’s staying… actually glad to hear that they’re doing contracts period!
it would be nice if they could bring on someone to perhaps be someone (female) that he could be with, even if it was a great friend – help him get over Kate or help Kate to snap out of it. Kinda like Emily was before they hooked up.
i am glad sonny is staying love him in any story line
I absolutely would not watch GH if Sonny was not in the mix. I think he should have more happening though. it seems not enough as in the past. Love him.
The only thing I know is Sonny should always stay in the mob. He should always stay in charge. I don’t want Sonny to become a good and upright citizen. Boring!!! Hurry up and bring Jason back so he can go right back to his old job. And boy was he good at it. Let Aviah’s baby be Sonny’s so the young Corinthios boy can stay young. Let Micheal and keke stay together. I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t want to see keke with the brothers again that’s over and done. Let Aviah’s baby get kidnapped by Silas crazy wife. Don’t ever let it come out that Sonny shot AJ. I definitely don’t want to see a long trail where Sonny goes to jail. Which would never happen so don’t waste our time. Who ever came up with the idea for Sonny to kill AJ made a huge stupid mistake. You should have at least made it an accident. Your going to regret that later. Everything will definitely have to come out. Unless Sonny kills Aviah and frames her some how for AJ’s death. Anyway your going to have to get creative because one thing I do know Sonny can NEVER go to jail. Don’t make that mistake.
Beyond the Gates
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers

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.
General Hospital
Antonio Sabáto Jr. Breaks Silence on His Son’s Arrest for Fatal Hit-and-Run

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
‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos

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.
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