General Hospital
Michele Val Jean on Positive Response for ‘The Gates’: “What Made This Announcement Especially Poignant Was It Happened on Jackie Zeman’s Birthday”
Wednesday, March 6th will be remembered as a big day for the soaps, and one for Michele Val Jean. Earlier, Val Jean’s new daytime drama, The Gates, was announced and that it was in developmental. The series would mark the first new original network soap opera in over 25 years.
Michele, who most recently wrote for The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital, is currently slated as the new soap opera’s writer, showrunner and one of its executive producers.
As previously reported, The Gates is in works in a joint venture from CBS Studios, NAACP and P&G Studios. At the epicenter of its story will be a wealthy Black family who reside in an upscale gated community. The news stunned soap opera fans who reacted with joy and The Gates was trending on X following its announcement; which proved never doubt that there is an audience for this genre and their passion.

Photo: ABC
This evening, Val Jean took to her own X account to express what the response meant to her, and in a personal moment, mentioned how profound that this huge announcement, on a potential new daytime drama, happened on what would have been the late Jackie Zeman’s 71st birthday.
Zeman passed away in May of 2023 from a short battle with cancer and was beloved for her 45-year-run as Nurse Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital, a show which Val Jean spent many years on their writing team.
Val Jean expressed: “I’m so profoundly touched by the overwhelmingly positive response to #TheGates. What made this announcement especially poignant was it happened on Jackie Zeman’s birthday. She would have loved this. #angelspirit”
What did you think about the massive response on social media for the new soap opera being developed, The Gates, and then Michele giving a nod to Jackie Zeman? Comment below.
I’m so profoundly touched by the overwhelmingly positive response to #TheGates. What made this announcement especially poignant was it happened on @JackieZeman ‘s birthday. She would have loved this. #angelspirit
— Michele Val Jean (@MicheleValJean) March 7, 2024
I wish Michele Val Jean all the best on the development of a new daytime drama and it getting produced and on the air. Congrats to CBS for recognizing that an audience exists for this type of program. Hopefully it will inspire a resurgence of daytime drama.
Finally! Applause, CBS, for recognizing daytime drama remains a viable entertainment venture. I never understood how broadcast just gave up on being original for the likes of carbon copy talk judge, and news shows. Even stations airing reruns close poorly. Another Dateline? I hope the soap fans rally to give this new effort a lot of support.
I love the idea of a new soap!!! The Gates is a dumb name tho something more soapish is needed.
Agree hopefully they change , the name of the new soap. They need to sit down and come up with a new title. I hope this new soap opera is a huge hit.
It certainly is. I hope they change it.
I thought Knots Landing was a silly name. The show certainly proved otherwise. I’m not concerned about the name, I’m more concerned that P&G are involved. WHY??? If it airs it will be everybody’s vision executive wise and NOT Val Jeans own. Too many cooks for one pot of soup out the “gates”.
“The Gates” really isn’t that bad. It beats “Loving”. Best soap title (which never made it into use) was the original OLTL title – “Between Heaven and Hell”. Maybe that’s why one poster here didn’t watch it?
“The Gates” was previously the name of a short-lived prime-time soap about 15 years ago. It starred Frank Grillo from “Guiding Light.” If the show is about a well-off Black family, then perhaps they live in a gated community, which is the literal reason for the name. But as the show is expected to highlight the Black experience in America, the title may also be an allusion to the metaphorical “gates” Black Americans have faced in gaining equality.
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.

Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”

Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
General Hospital
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.

Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?

On the Friday, September 11 episode of General Hospital, Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship becomes strained to potentially the point of no return.
Things take a turn when an unglued Britt having been traumatized by almost being killed by Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) asks Jason to back her up with the PCPD when she reports Anna for attempted murder.
However, Jason told Britt, he can’t. Jason shares that he does not believe Anna would have gone through with shooting her. Therefore, Britt was not in any real imminent danger. Britt is flabbergasted and hurt that Jason is refusing to tell the police what he actually witnessed for himself on Mount Emerson.

Courtesy/ABC
BRITT WANTS BACK UP FROM JASON
Jason counters that he can’t believe that Britt would want Anna punished. or sent to prison, or a mental facility after the trauma she endured while being locked up and mentally tortured while at Wyndemere.
He asks Britt, “How could you even say that you want her locked up or prosecuted for what she did when you knew she was being held prisoner and you did nothing to save her?” Britt is stunned by Jason’s response.
Coming up, official General Hospital spoilers share that on the upcoming Monday, September 14 episode, Jason confides in Carly (Laura Wright), while Britt is stung. In the video preview that aired at the end of the Friday, September 11 episode for this coming Monday, Britt says to Jason, “You don’t believe me. Do you?”
General Hospital head scribes, Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte previously teased in their fall preview of the soap, “Britt and Jason have come a long way and fought a lot of enemies to be together. But the most stubborn obstacle to their happiness isn’t without, it’s within. Decisions Britt made to stay alive while under Cullum’s thumb will come back to haunt her and may prove too difficult for this unlikely couple to survive.”
So, what do you think will happen? Will Jason and Britt break-up over Britt’s lies and Jason’s unwillingness to report Anna’s crime against her? Do you want Jason and Britt to go their separate ways? If they do, will Britt become romantically involved with Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) ? If so, who do you pair Jason with? Anyone? Weigh-in via the comment section.
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Tabyana Ali Song ‘Pray’ Now Available on Major Streaming Platforms with Music Video Forthcoming
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’ Icon Genie Francis to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards
-

News7 days agoVivica A. Fox Exits ‘The Young and the Restless’ For Now to Film Netflix’s ‘Women Like Us’
-

News1 day agoJess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
-

General Hospital6 days ago‘General Hospital’s’ Braedyn Bruner Reveals Her Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and How Emma is Getting Her ‘Edge’ Back
-

General Hospital4 days ago‘General Hospital’s’ Bluesy Burke Marks 1 Year as Charlotte Cassadine: ‘It’s The Best Gift I’ve Ever Received’
-

News4 days ago‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ Drops First Look 40th Anniversary Opening Title Sequence










