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

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: ABC

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?

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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! 🙂

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark

Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”

In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.

It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.

Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.

You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.

So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.

As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.

Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC

Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.

BROTHERLY LOVE?

Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”

With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”

BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE

Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”

So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair

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After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!

In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.

Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.

MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP

Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!

At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC

BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY

Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”

LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER

In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?

So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.

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