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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

Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

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Maura West and Kelly Sullivan

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!

 

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General Hospital

Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

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Steve Burton

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.

Steve Burton

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.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?

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Jason and Britt

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.

Britt

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.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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