General Hospital
RATINGS: ‘General Hospital’ Makes Strongest Gains in Total Viewers, Plus Key Demo Highs in Over Three Months

On the strength of a dramatic week of story in Port Charles, General Hospital bounced back in the latest Nielsen ratings data for the week of May 4-8, 2026. For the first time in five weeks, the ABC daytime drama series was back over averaging 2 million total viewers.
According to the most recent ratings report from Soap Opera Network, GH also delivered a 17-week high among the key Women 18-49 demo with a 0.19 rating share, and a 14-week high in the other key Women 25-54 demo with a 0.26 rating share.
However, the other big news is that of all four broadcast television soap operas, General Hospital showed the most gains in its total audience of the week adding an impressive 192,000 total viewers, plus being up 151,000 year to year at this time.

Courtesy/ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL DRAMA HAS VIEWERS TUNING-IN
In story, the week featured, the explosive showdown between Cassius (Ryan Paevey) who is pretending to be his dead brother Nathan and Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) where he then takes her captive and locks her in the secret room that was previously used to hold Anna Devane hostage. In addition, the mystery of the late Delilah and baby Phoebe widened as Ethan (Nathan Dean) met the little bundle of joy, and then went to burn a photo of Delilah at the pier, promising no one will know their connection and that he was so sorry he was not there for her.
The climatic moment of the week featured the brawl between Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) and Brennan (Chris McKenna), which saw Nina (Cynthia Watros) accidentally stab Jack with a syringe of the paralytic drug that was supposed to be used for Drew (Cameron Mathison), who was in the other room of the house starting to come out of his locked-in state.
The week kicked off with Aladdin star, Michael James Scott performing at the Savoy, when he came to Port Charles in the last of the series of three episodes in the GH/Broadway crossover that saw Gio (Giovanni Mazza) and Emma (Braedyn Bruner) travel to New York for Gio to reunite with the Broadway star, and it culminating in his appearance at Curtis Ashford’s (Donnell Turner) nightclub.
The Young and the Restless also had some notable numbers for the ratings period, as they remained atop the soap scoreboard with averaging 3,210,000 total audience. The CBS soap brought in +67,000 additional viewers for the week However, the series is way up year-to-year with viewers having added +299,000. Y&R was also number #1 this week in all key women demos: 18-49 and 25-54.
The Bold and the Beautiful remained in the number #2 position in total viewers with 2,738,000, but lost – 57,000 during the ratings week. But, the big story here is Y&R’s sister soap is actually up +371,000 viewers from this time last year; more than its competitors. Elsewhere, Beyond the Gates came in with 1,627,000 total viewers for the week dropping -28,000 from the previous ratings period. However, like all the network soaps, they too, showed an increase year-to-year adding +89,000.
It should be noted that the ratings picture is comprised from Nielsen’s Live+Same Day Big Data + Panel for the week of May 4-8, 2026.
So, what did you think of the ratings performance of General Hospital for this ratings period? Which soap are you most intrigued by to keep you tuning-in? Which is not piquing your interest at this point in time? Let us know via the comment section below.
Love General Hospital every day
I hope Anna comes back this week!
GH is can not miss TV
Wonderful news for my fav, GH! Well deserved!
General Hospital is the Soap Opera that I cannot miss. Everything else in my life gets paused for that hour each weekday. I do not answer my phone during that hour and no one but a cop would make me answer my door!
I totally agree. If GH has started when I turn on my TV, I will wait for the next hour when it’s scheduled on another channel. I do not want to miss a WORD. I am an addict for the past 25 yes. Just turned 74 and GH is my family
Cannot understand how Young and the Restless is still number one. It is so terrible now. It is so repetitive. General Hospital is 10 times better than Young and the Restless right now. People are watching it just because of old loyalties.
This person doesn’t know what the hell he is talking about the third week of May GH hospital fell to 1.809 million viewers.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ethan Lovett Hightails Out of the Country, Christian Howard Wraps His Stint

That was quick! Christian Howard, who now looks to have literally stepped in for Nathan Dean to wrap up a few episodes for the character of Ethan Lovett made a quick exit on Friday’s July 31 episode of General Hospital.
GH viewers were stunned earlier this week on the Monday, July 27 episode when a voiceover announcer shared that Christian Howard was now playing Ethan Lovett. Next, Ethan hits the sheets with Ava Jerome, played by three-time Daytime Emmy-winner, Maura West. All seemed to be moving forward when suddenly at the end of the Thursday, July 30 episode, Ethan spots newcomer Hudson (Troy Lennon Appel) at the Metro Court Pool, and makes a quick getaway.
Then, it’s revealed after packing his bags at Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) house, that out of nowhere, Ethan received a lead on an incredible opportunity so he has to say goodbye to Lulu and run out of town and was leaving Port Charles.

Courtesy/ABC
RUNNING OUT OF TOWN
In fact, Ethan was in such a hurry, he forgot to say goodbye to Ava who had been waiting for him at the Metro Court pool. There is clearly a connection to Hudson and baby Phoebe after Ethan spotted the guy, because Ethan also glanced over to the baby and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) at the Metro Court pool, before he ran to Lulu’s to pack his things. All of this points to Howard being an emergency recast for Dean.
It’s definitely been a week of change on-screen on the ABC soap with the news of Maxie, Spinelli, James, Georgie and Bailey all suddenly leaving Port Charles for Australia, after Spinelli got an offer he could not turn down.
That exit was written because Kirsten Storms is at this time,, and the very foreseeable future, not returning to General Hospital and is living in Tennessee. As she had documented via her Instagram stories and posts, she has been going through several personal ordeals. In addition to Storms, Ryan Paevey also exited the series earlier this month when he ended his run as Cassius Faison, while leaving the door open for his return down the line.
So, will newcomers Kelly Kruger (Serena Baldwin), Dean Geyer (Tristan Roberts) and Troy Lennon Appel fill the void of the multitude of exits? What are your theories on Christian Howard’s departure as Ethan Lovett on GH? Let us know via the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘Knots Landing’ Favorite Donna Mills Joins ‘OnlyFans’

Donna Mills, who at 85-years-old is still turning heads, booking film and TV roles and co-hosting the We’re Knot Done Yet podcast with her Knots Landing pals, Michele Lee (ex-Karen) and Joan Van Ark (ex-Valene), is now joining the world of Only Fans.
The news came Mills herself in a statement, where she shared to Variety, “I’ve always appreciated the incredible support and encouragement I’ve received from my fans over the years. Social media has been a wonderful way to stay connected, but I’m excited to join OnlyFans because it offers the opportunity for a more personal and direct connection.”
While OnlyFans is primarily known for its steamy content, Mills is taking a different approach, explaining that she will be “sharing moments from my daily life, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and engaging with fans in a more meaningful way. It’s simply another platform to spend quality time with the people who’ve supported me throughout my career while staying true to who I am.”

Photo: JPI
WHY DID DONNA MILLS JOIN OTHER CELEBRITIES ON ONLYFANS?
Andy Bachman, CEO Creators INC who presides over OnlyFans also shared in a statement, “This is not about changing who she is. It is about giving her longtime fans more access to the personality, style and behind-the-scenes moments they already love. Donna has always been fearless and ahead of her time. She told me, ‘YOLO — let’s do it,’ and that perfectly captures her attitude. She is approaching OnlyFans on her own terms and creating a space that feels authentic, personal and completely true to her.”
Mill’s move to OnlyFans comes on the heels of others in Hollywood who are pivoting to the platform not only for its revenur, but to control their own narrative of what they want put out into the world about themselves. One example is Shannon Elizabeth of American Pie and Scary Movie fame, who told Variety that since April she has earned more than $1.2 million in seven days via her OnlyFans account.

Photo: JPI
FROM THE CUL DE SAC AT SEAVIEW CIRCLE TO PORT CHARLES
While Donna Mills is best- known for her role as Abby Cunningham Ewing on Knots Landing from 1980-1989, 1993, she also won a Daytime Emmy for her role of Madeline Reeves on General Hospital. Mills played the evil mother to Nina Reeves (then Michelle Stafford) and sister to Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) from 2014-2015 and again in 2018.
The veteran actress also had a leading role in the soap opera, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, where she and GH’s late, great sister, Leslie Charleson (ex-Monica Quartermaine, GH) played sisters Laura and Iris Donnelly from 1967-1970. Mills began her soap career on The Secret Storm back in 1966.
So, what do you think of Donna Mills joining OnlyFans? Do you think the once exclusive provocative content platform, which is going more Hollywood, will ultimately be where big named celebrity post their own content? Share your thoughts via the comment section below, and in case you missed it, you can check out the Michael Fairman Channel’s most recent chat with Donna Mills from earlier this year and our livestream with Donna, Michele and Joan from 2025 below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Troy Lennon Appel Makes His Debut as ‘Hudson’: Is He a New Love Interest for Josslyn? Baby Phoebe’s Bio-Dad?

Towards the conclusion of the Thursday, July 30 episode of General Hospital, Troy Lennon Appel made his debut asa “mysterious and shady businessman” going by the name of “Hudson.”
The person who first saw Hudson was none other than Ethan Lovett, who is now played by another soap newcomer Christian Howard, who replaced the exited Nathan Dean in the role.
From the looks of things, Ethan was not at all happy to see Hudson at the Metro Court Pool. It looks as though Ethan doesn’t even want Hudson to know he is in the same town. So, how do these two know each other? Is Hudson the father of baby Phoebe? Is Hudson possibly a Quartermaine? Like Dillon Quartermaine … or someone else from the Q clan? Stay tuned.

Photo: ABC
TROY LENNON APPEL JOINS KELLY KRUGER AS THE LATEST ARRIVALS ON-SCREEN TO GH
Meanwhile, for his premiere airdate, which also marked the first on-screen episode of Kelly Kruger as Serena Baldwin, Troy spoke to TV Insider and shared a bit about the character he’s playing and more.
Appel expressed, “Hudson is a shady businessman, and you’re not clear as to his motives, He goes one way, but then leans the other, and so he kind of keeps you on your toes. So far, what I’ve played, this guy is way cooler than I am, so it’s been so cool to play him. But he’s just been a force to be reckoned with so far, and I’m not even entirely sure as to all of his intentions in Port Charles. I’m excited to see where his journey goes, because I’m very lucky to be playing this character.”
As GH casting lore goes, Troy actually read for the role of Joe Fitzpatrick that went to Jonathan Bennett, but the producers were impressed by him that they created the role of Hudson with Appel specifically in mind. And stand by … according to Appel, he screen-tested with Daytime Emmy-winner, Eden McCoy (Josslyn).
So, is Hudson the new man for Josslyn? All Appel would say was, “I did a chemistry read with Eden much later when I kind of cemented that I was going to be playing another character, and it all just happened and I’m insanely grateful that it did.”
With Troy Lennon Appel, Kelly Kruger, Christian Howard, and Dean Geyer (whose character of Tristan was revealed to have ties with the WSB) all appearing on the latest episode of General Hospital, was it jarring for you, or are you excited for what’s to come? Weigh-in via the comment section.
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