General Hospital
VARIETY Names GH's Valentini, CBS Daytime's McDaniel and B&B's Tom … Daytime TV Impact Honorees!

Photo Credit: ABC
This morning, Variety, one of the leading entertainment news sources for decades, rolled out their list of Daytime TV Impact honorees, which takes a look at those individuals, as they relate who, “across all genres, in front of the camera or behind, and innovators and tastemakers who represent the leading lights of the small screen world while the sun is up”
Three names who are very familiar to soap opera fans and those of the world daytime dramas made the list including: General Hospital’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, Senior V.P Daytime CBS Entertainment, Angelica McDaniel, and The Bold and the Beautiful’s Heather Tom (Katie). Here is what Variety’s editors had to say about why each received their recognition!
Frank Valentini: “General Hospital, the sole-surviving soap opera on ABC, owes its life to Valentini. He came in last year after the cancellation of One Life to Live and resuscitated ‘General’ with explosions, baby-switching and returns of beloved characters. As General moves toward its 50th anniversary this month, Valentini has been able to find that tricky balance of keeping fans happy and moving the show along. Valentini himself is most excited about the upcoming “Nurse’s Ball” story line. “It hasn’t been done in years, and it’s a signature piece for General Hospital. It is the perfect way to celebrate the show and the citizens of Port Charles. We can honor the history and bring the show into the 21st century.”

Photo Credit: Cliff Lipson/CBS
Angelica McDaniel: “With a deft ability to balance daytime’s big three genres — game, talk and drama — McDaniel has effectively injected a dose of synergy across CBS’ slate. Promoted to daytime honcho in February 2012, she’s created crossovers between everything from Let’s Make a Deal and The Bold and the Beautiful to The Talk and The Young and the Restless. She’s also upped the net’s interactivity on the web. ‘I’m proud of our efforts and progress on social media,’ she says. ‘I’m active on Twitter with fans of the shows, and when we have good interaction,” it helps enhance the product CBS delivers.”

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
Heather Tom: “The Bold and the Beautiful actress, and this onscreen and (as of last year) off-screen mother, has been in the soap opera business for 23 years, performing on The Young and the Restless, One Life to Live and The Bold and the Beautiful. In 2012, Tom became the first actress to complete the trifecta of Daytime Emmys for younger actress (1993 and 1999), supporting actress (2011) and lead actress (2012). Tom is thrilled Bold is making room for her son Zane, who was born in October, to play her onscreen baby. “ I’ve certainly seen how this medium has changed and grown, and I’ve gotten to work with great people,” she says. “It’s a place where glamour happens, and you can be sexy and have crazy things happen to you. I’ll get to spend more time with my son, and he will get to be part of it.”
Check out all the other daytime names who made the grade including: The Price is Right’s Drew Carey, The View’s Bill Geddie, The Talk’s Sara Gilbert, Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, and Kelly Ripa!
Now, let us know what you think of the selections of Frank Valentini, Angelica McDaniel and Heather Tom and their achievements in soaps?
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair

On the Thursday, October 1 episode of General Hospital, both Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) had some things to say and what they had to say didn’t go over well with whom they were talking to!
Sonny had a confrontation with his son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), while Michael leveled with Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) over Chase (Josh Swickard).
GH is setting up a scenario where everyone is going to make it look like Sonny was responsible for having Sidwell (Carlo Rota) beat up in Pentonville; while viewers already know Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) were behind it.

Courtesy/ABC
A VISIT WITH DAD
Now, Dante comes to Sonny’s house. He wants to know straight up from his dad if he ordered the attack at Pentonville. Sonny flatly denies any culpability or responsibility, but Dante refuses to believe him.
Dante informs Sonny he has video footage of Sully and Vito at the prison. Sonny explains to Dante he doesn’t know why Sully beat up both Curtis and Dante. Things escalated when Sonny was deeply hurt that Dante refused to believe him. Dante says he was disappointed that his father didn’t respect him enough to be truthful with him!
Sonny asks Dante to consider that he was being set up. He says all he did was to tell Vito to instruct Sully to keep a watchful eye on Sidwell, not to harm him. No matter what Sonny said, Dante continued hammering him with how he knew deep down, even though he said he left the mob, he had to finish off Sidwell for himself.
Next, Sonny explains everything he has ever done was to provide for and to protect his family. Dante fired back that he doesn’t want to deal anymore with Sonny’s half-baked truths. As the two men argue, Gio (Giovanni Mazza) shows up at Sonny’s front door and overhears Sonny losing his temper and shouting at Dante, “Get out of my house! I don’t want a son like you!” The scenes featured an excellent performance by Maurice Benard.

Courtesy/ABC
MICHAEL THE MANIPULATOR
While this is going down, outside the Quartermaine boathouse, Brook Lynn opens up to Michael about living at the Q’s with Chase being there, since he only came back due to legal advice from his lawyer, Monet Mitchell (Blythe Howard).
Brook Lynn questioned whether they should get legally separate. Michael insisted that would be a big mistake. When she asks why, Michael tells Brook Lynn to bide her time until Chase and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) have an affair; then she’d have full custody of Phoebe.
An angered Brook Lynn pushed Michael into the water and accuses him of moving Willow back into the gatehouse with intent on putting Chase and Willow in closer proximity and sacrificing Brook Lynn’s family in the process. As the two cousins bicker, Chase shows up asking Brook Lynn if she is OK. Michael punctuates their talk with “You know, I’m right.”
CURTIS FIGURES OUT A WAY TO GET OUT OF THE SLAMMER
At GH, Willow visits Curtis (Donnell Turner) in his hospital room. Curtis wants Willow to get him pardoned and keep him out of jail, and in return, he will help her nail Sonny.
Next, Willow tells Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) she wants Curtis held for observation for three more days. He agrees to do so under one condition, that she understands that he may need to call in a favor from a congresswoman.
So, what did you think of how Dante accused his father and refused to believe Sonny’s answers? Is this the end of their father and son relationship for good? Is Michael the most manipulative person of all, except for Willow? Do the two deserve each other? Do you want Chase and Willow to have an affair? And what of Curtis? Does he have many redeeming qualities left? Share your thoughts via the comment section, but first check out the talk Michael had with Brook Lynn.
General Hospital
GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof

Two soap opera alums very familiar to fans of General Hospital and The Young and the Restless are paired together in a new short-form digital series from none other than Issa Rae’s production entity HOORAE Digital.
Look for Tajh Bellow (ex-TJ Ashford, GH)) and Loren Lott (ex-Ana Hamilton, Y&R) as part of the cast of The Compatibility Experiment, premiering on October 14, 2026, exclusively on TikTok and its companion microdrama platform, PineDrama.
In the video teaser, it appears that Bellow and Lott play a couple, Kelvin and Camila, set in a Love Island reality show-esque environment trying to win the one million dollar cash prize, only what could go wrong?

Photo: HOORAE
The Compatibility Experiment loglines share that it brings a fast-paced, relationship-focused reality check—much like Love Island with a twist. The show takes a participant’s current relationship, introduces them to a potentially more compatible partner, and forces them to navigate the differences with life-changing money on the line.
The new series is part of a groundbreaking content deal between HOORAE Digital and TikTok to develop premium short-form storytelling. The ensemble cast also features; Ayona, Reggie Luck, JaNa Craig, Tosin Morohunfola, Jessica Jacoby, Georgia Warner, and Nick Cassidy.
General Hospital fans know Tajh Bellow for his performances as TJ Ashford, and who earned two Daytime Emmy nominations along the way during his run. Bellow took over the role in 2018 and last appeared on the ABC daytime drama series in December of 2024.
Loren Lott first appeared as Devon’s (Bryton James) sister Ana Hamilton on The Young and the Restless from 2018 to 2019; making a brief return in 2024. She has continued to perform on the stage and screen with recent credits including: Bel-Air, Cherish the Day, and All American: Homecoming.
Check out the trailer for The Compatibility Experiment below and let us know what you think of its concept and if you are glad to see Tajh and Loren again? Hoping they might return to daytime in their GH and Y&R roles at some point in the future? Weigh-in via the comment section.
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General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown

If you thought that the person responsible for the Pentonville brawl that saw Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and Curtis (Donnell Turner) taken to General Hospital was Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) or even Sidwell himself, you were dead wrong! On the Wednesday, September 30 episode of GH, it turned out that the culprits were actually Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison).
In story, Drew apparently bankrolled the attack on Sidwell and framing Sonny. He told Ava their planned worked (she came up with it!) but was horrified when Drew informed her that Curtis got caught in the crosshairs. Ava is visibly upset because of her longtime friendship with Curtis’ daughter, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali). Drew tried to make Ava see the bright side. Curtis was witness to it and his presence will cast doubt on Sonny’s claims to that he had gotten out of the mob and gone legit.
Later, Vito shows up at Drew’s. They informed him that his guy on the inside of the slammer made a big mistake by hurting their friend and ordered him to leave town.

Courtesy/ABC
BOATHOUSE BRAWL
In other major developments, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) and Rocco (Finn Carr) have a blow out fight as Danny blames his “brother” for the reason Charlotte was sent off to boarding school.
Rocco told off Danny for Charlotte’s (Bluesy Burke) reckless behavior and he explains he had to protect his sister. He went in on Danny saying that his mother Lulu (Alexa Havins) has been right to send Charlotte to boarding school and far away from Danny.
However, Rocco went a bit too far when he shouted, “And if your mom was alive, she would send you away too!” Next, Danny punched out Rocco, leading to a terrible brawl. An angered Danny yells at Rocco to, “Stay away from me and everyone in my family. And don’t you ever mention my mom again!” Danny storms off.

Courtesy/ABC
Now alone outside the boathouse, Rocco flashes back to his first kiss with Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarksi), hoping that his fight with Danny will not escalate and ruin their budding romance. Meanwhile, a bloodied-mouth Danny heads over to Sonny’s and Jason (Steve Burton) is there at the same time. He then admits that he has a bad fight with Rocco and they are both beaten up.
WILL SCOUT WISE UP?
At the end of the episode, Scout, who had a fight with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) over Drew, and who keeps telling everyone how good a man her dad truly is, comes upon a suspicious scene.
Scout hides behind the wall outside Drew’s. She sees her dad, Ava and Vito talking. Next, Scout seems to overhear Vito assuring Drew and Ava that their business dealings are done, and he’ll be leaving Port Charles for good.
So, what did you think of the reveal that Ava and Drew were behind framing Sonny for the prison beatdown of Sidwell (and Curtis)? Do you think Danny and Rocco’s relationship can be repaired, or do you think the teenagers will continue to be at each other’s throats? Finally, do you hope Scout gets a clue and stops thinking her dad walks on air? Weigh-in via the comment section, but first check out how Ava and Drew conspired below.
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What male actors completed the trifecta?
There are none. Jonathan Jackson has won Younger and Supporting. Darnell Williams and Justin Deas have won Supporting and Lead. Those are three I can think of off the top of my head who have won in 2 categories. But no male has started as younger, won that, then supporting, then lead. As it stands, the only one who has a shot in the forseeable future would be Jonathan Jackson.
Congratulations Frank Valentini. The only one who deserves it.
frank is the only one who deserves it that just bs cbs daytime is on fire right now bnb is kicking ass.at the end of the day soaps re the winner.
At the end of the day, you need to learn how to complete a full sentence. GH is on fire now!
None of whats happening today with the soaps turnaround seem possible if it werent for Frank and Ron but congratultions to all!
Congrats Angelica and Heather!! Deserving honorees!
Don’t watch GH but congrats to Frank Valentini!
Congrats to all three. Frank Valentini is the reason all of the soaps have risen.
Amen to that Robert.
I am pleased to read these three individuals have received notice for their work. I only wish any of these three could have been there for my sentimental favorite drama, AS THE WORLD TURNS, which remains sorely missed. Thank goodness, thought, CBS is committed to Y&R and B&B, and Valentini has done such magic with my other lifelong favorite, GENERAL HOSPITAL. Tom is a wonderful actress.
Maybe this trio can usher in a new era of daytime drama and new glory days.
frank valentini saved general hospital from cancellation. i adore frank so much. he is a hunk and addorable. lol. im 22 years old and too young for frank valentini. he is a cutie. by the way i do have a boyfriend. he is 27 years old. im sure frank has a boyfriend. lets hope general hospital stays on the air.
Could not be more thrilled with Frank being honored like this. He really did save GH (with, of course Ron Carlivati), not just by bringing back fan favorites, but by incorporating histroy, staying true to original characters, weaving in interesting new characters, giving us surprises and twists, putting romance and family on the forefront, everything that good soap operas have always had and what only GH is bringing back. Here’s to marking 50 years of GH with one of it’s best years and to another 50 more! 🙂