General Hospital
Will new Katie Couric ABC Talk Show replace General Hospital?
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Looks like the Alphabet network is getting ready to sign a deal with Katie Couric to bring her over to their ABC Daytime line-up for her previously bantered about talk show. The new series could either replace General Hospital in 2012, or one of the two new reality series replacing AMC and OLTL, The Chew or The Revolution, if they fail.
According to TMZ.com this morning, “Katie Couric and ABC television are on the verge of signing a $20 million deal, which would give Katie her own talk show, as well as significant involvement in ABC News — and the big casualty could be General Hospital. ABC would also give Katie a 1-hour, 5-day-a-week syndicated talk show, that would begin in September, 2012. Our sources say … one option ABC is considering is giving its affiliates back the hour where General Hospital airs to make room for Katie. In other words, ABC would axe the third longest-running soap in history and the last one standing on ABC. ABC is also realistic, believing that one of its two new 2011 syndicated shows will fail, leaving room for K.C. We’re told … when the dust settles and ABC’s daytime schedule gets rearranged, Katie would probably land in the 3 PM time slot.”
Here we go again, folks! Stay tuned.
General Hospital
Happy 57th Anniversary Today to General Hospital
ABC’s daytime drama, General Hospital turns 57 today, and remains the current longest-running soap opera on the air. GH debuted back on April 1, 1963.
The show was created by the husband-and-wife team of Frank and Doris Hursley. Originally, the soap was not given a name of a particular town in which the drama of the hospital was set in. However, that all changed in the 1970’s when GH was set in Port Charles.
GH expanded from a 30-minute show to a 45-minute show on July 26, 1976 and eventually went to a full-hour where it has remained back on January 16, 1978.
Throughout its decades on the air, GH was the impetus for two spin-offs; Port Charles, (which aired from 1997-2003) and primetime’s GH: Night Shift (2007-2008),
The show went through many ups and downs over its history, but things changed dramatically for the better, when by the end of the 1970’s and facing cancellation, ABC brought in executive producer, Gloria Monty to steer the ship. Monty created supercouple Luke and Laura played by Tony Geary and Genie Francis, and opened the show up with exciting location shoots, and from then on GH has remained a firm mainstay in the daytime line-up.
Today, Frank Valentini is the series executive producer, and the soap is co-written by the head writing team of Dan O’Connor and Chris Van Etten.
As 80%, as of now, in the US are reported to be homebound due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the latest ratings for the week of March 23, 2020, GH drew 2.57 million viewers,- its strongest week since March 19, 2018. So, more eyeballs are tuning-in to the drama in Port Charles.
Share your congratulations and well-wishes to the cast, crew, and creatives at General Hospital for 57 years of drama, romance and intrigue via the comment section below.
But first, vote in our poll for your favorite storyline or moment of all-time on GH. If your favorite is not one of the choices listed in the poll, let us know in the comment section which is your favorite, or if you voted for one of the selections, let us know why, too!
General Hospital
General Hospital to Air Encore Episodes On ‘Flashback Fridays’ To Help Stretch Out Originals During COVID-19 Shutdown
With the coronavirus changing our lives every today, and a return to production in the air for so many TV series, General Hospital will now air four new episodes a week to stretch out the remaining episodes they have banked before the COVID-10 pandemic forced soap opera production to come to a full work stoppage.
Now, starting this Friday, om the April 6th, the ABC daytime drama series w will air repeat episodes every Friday through May 22.
These encore presentations will be called “Flashback Fridays,” and each episode will feature an introduction from a General Hospital cast member.
To kick things off, this Friday, the series will air a repeat of last year’s 56th-anniversary episode, with an intro by Laura Wright. GH fans will recall that episode centered around the reading of the late Gail Baldwin’s will.
According to The Wrap: :At the time of the production break, the ABC soap had enough episodes pre-taped to carry originals into May.”
Tomorrow on April 1st, will also mark GH’s 57th anniversary.
So what do you think of the plan to stretch out original episodes bu adding in one encore a week; until GH can get back to producing more episodes? Comment below?
General Hospital
The Triumphant Return of Kelly Thiebaud As GH’s Dr. Britt Westbourne
When a shocked Nurse Felix Dubois (Marc Anthony Samuel) exclaimed “Dear lord, the Britch is back,” after seeing none other than Dr. Britt Westbourne with her lab coat hovering around the nurses station at “General Hospital”, you knew things were about to go down on the ABC daytime drama series.
Over the past few weeks, Kelly Thiebaud has been in action on-screen on General Hospital as the the trouble-making, complicated, Britt. Since returning to the canvas, viewers learned that: Britt has been paroled from her previous crimes, seems to say she believes and actually likes her half-brother, Peter August (Wes Ramsey), has confronted her mutter in jail (Liesl Obrecht played by Kathleen Gati), whom Peter framed, and showed up at Brad’s (Parry Shen) hearing to be there for her bestie, who has been in hot water for the baby switch of Wiley.
But, there have been a lot more intriguing things than even that! Britt is now hitting the sheets with none-other than Julian (William deVry), and also let him know in no uncertain terms she knows his part in the whole Brad cover-up. But what is her true motive? We also learned in a run-in at GH, that Neil (Joe Flanigan) and Britt know each other from somewhere. He is trying to put his finger on just where, but does Britt know? Probably!
However, the best and most entertaining moment on soaps last week was when Britt arrived in her lab coat to GH and revealed to both Felix and Liz (Rebecca Herbst) that she had worked hard enough to be able to get her medical license restored … and that Monica (Leslie Charleson) brought her on with a provisional acceptance as a temporary replacement for Dr. Kim Nero as an OBGYN for the hospital. Felix says give it two weeks and she will do something to mess things up.
Photo: JPI
Just then, in our favorite scene of the week, Nikolas (Marcus Coloma) and Ava (Maura West) happen by, and when Britt, who is Nik’s ex, sees him she saunters over to him and slaps him hard across the face and spits out, “That’s for Spencer.” She goes on to berate him for how he hurt his son; by letting him believe that his father was dead for three years! Britt tells Nikolas it would serve him right if Spencer knew spoke to him again.
Next, Elizabeth chimes in and tells Britt to stop acting all high and mighty. Britt fires back that she is not surprised that Liz, another one of Nik’s ex’s, would defend him. Britt says, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Scene after scene, Kelly Thiebaud has lit up the screen and put the “feisty” back onto the ABC soap opera. As an actress, Kelly can go from the heavy drama, to the comedic, to the sexy, all with ease.
In the March 30th issue of Soap Opera Digest, Thiebaud said of her return: “Frank Valentini reached out to me the beginning of the year and mentioned that the writers wanted to bring me back for a bit. I said,’Of course, I will, I would love nothing more than that!”‘ I just really connect with Britt and have a blast playing her.”
So let us know, have you been enjoying the return of Kelly as Dr. Britt Westbourne, thus far? What do you think Britt is up to? Comment below.
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All My ChildrenMarch 28, 2020Soap Vet and All My Children Alum John Callahan Dead At 66
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InterviewsMarch 25, 2020B&B’s Katherine Kelly Lang on That ‘Brill’ Kiss, 33 Years as Brooke, Her Co-Stars & International Success
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General HospitalMarch 29, 2020The Triumphant Return of Kelly Thiebaud As GH’s Dr. Britt Westbourne
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Days Of Our LivesMarch 26, 2020DAYS’ Christie Clark Shares Coronavirus Health Update
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NewsMarch 24, 2020Award-Winning Playwright and Y&R Alum, Terrence McNally Dies Due To Complications From Coronavirus
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All My ChildrenMarch 30, 2020Kelly Ripa Shares Her Grief and Remembrances of John Callahan on ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’
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NewsMarch 26, 2020Happy 47th Anniversary to The Young and the Restless
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General HospitalMarch 28, 2020GENERAL HOSPITAL: Alexis Breaks Three Years of Sobriety, Carly Locks Up Nelle, Nikolas & Liz Continue to Reconnect
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Will keep positive thoughts for GH and supporting it by watching it. Just can’t see KC drawing the market they are seeking.
Let’s hope that both of the new ABC shows fail as they rightfully should!
Really bad move on ABC’s part. How can they be so sure people will watch Katie? If Frons Kills ALL Soaps I know I will NOT watch anything on ABC. Someone needs to let ABC EXEC’s know that there are already way tooooo many Talk Show on T.V. already and NO ONE LIKES THEM ! Don’t they know from past experience that Most TS get CANCELLED ! This is just OUTRAGEOUS ! They need to FIRE FRON’S !!!!!!!
That is horrible news. I can’t believe ABC would also get rid of GH! If it does, that is really the end of soaps
If GH goes, I will be forced to end my love affair with abc.
I’m sorry Michael, but after all ABC soaps are canceled, I will not be watching any afternoon ABC shows. I have no interest in another reality or talk show. There is already an abundance of reality and talk shows that are not even watched. If they’re so happy with talk shows they need to create two talk show and reality show networks. Leave the soaps alone. Contrary to popular belief, there is still a large viewship for soaps.
If ABC takes G.H. away to i know alot of people that will NEVER watch A.B.C. AGAIN!!!!
This is just bull shit that I’m hearing and it’s not fair to do that!!!!!!!!!! Who cares about Katie Couric’s talk show. Now this is getting ridiculous to say the least. We want our soaps all of them to stay on!!!! Whomever is in charge of this crap better think again to save our soaps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am very very mad especially hearing now they may take General Hospital off the air . This just isn’t fair at all!!!
Katie should take over Oprah’s time slot and not give ABC an excuse to cancel another soap opera. Enough is enough already! Yes, Soap fans are the most dedicated fans and will NOT watch her show if she takes over General Hospitals slot.
Considering her abysmal ratings daily on the CBS Evening News what makes anyone think she deserves a talk show??
From what I have read elsewhere, Couric is slated to take over Oprah’s slot.
Gee, I thought it was bad enough that OLTL was getting canceled… but now I am thinking of your wonderful website and what will become of it wiith only 3 show left. I feel very bad for your situation as well Michael !
The way ABC has handled the cancellation of both other soaps, all of ABC from Frons on up has made a mess of everything. ABC executives are liars!!!! This is not just daytime, night-time executives are the same way. All LIARS. I feel for long time GH and long time in general ABC soap fans. I have started to watch AMC & OLTL (because of the fabulous Kim Zimmer) after my soaps were cancelled by CBS. I personally had been a long time viewer of P&G’s soaps including AW, as for GH I don’t watch because personally if I want to watch “The Sopranos” I will watch it, GH’s story-lines are not my cup of tea but I still feel for GH fans. It is slow painful grieving process HONESTLY. I would come home from work and watch my “soaps”….Y&R, ATWT, GL, AW. When AW was cancelled was hard enough but back to back years of GL & ATWT I was lost for a few months because I looked forward to relax and have martini and see my Reva & Josh, Lucinda, Luke & Noah, Olivia & Natalia etc. It’s a shame because soaps could be vital if they would go back to go what they do BEST ….relationship driven stories..not saying like 1960’s but update how stories are told and balance the length of each arc according to the story itself. If doing a serious social issue then take your time a full year, have 13 week arcs, 6 month arcs etc because people are people and they do love a well written, balanced story. You see it all over TV today and it comes directly from soaps.
Perky Katie Couric who has a mouth like a sailor! Stop the madness!!!! When did we stop having real ladies at the helm? She was at Nellis AFB and talked worse yhan a sailor!!!!
Will someone please tell her soap fans do not forgive or forget.. she really must want to watch what is left of her career swirl and flush… Katie.. be wise… find something else because abc is gonna go under-Once day time is destroyed…
I hope this is not true and just a rumor. Didn’t Frons say that he was not courting Katie Couric? He is such a liar! I truly hope his lineup, including The View (sorry Whoopi); tanks in the ratings and maybe ABC/Disney will finally wake up and realize what an incompetent they have at the helm of daytime programming.
I have never cared for this gal 🙁 keep the soaps
PLEASE ..ABC.. do not take the last good soap away…. god only knows there
are too many talk SHOWS ON TV NOW. DON’T LIKE KATIE COURIC AND
CERTAINLY DON’T NEED A SHOW FROM HER…….DON’T NEED NEW SHOWS…..
PLEASEEEEE WE RELY ON OUR STORIES…..
IF IT’S GONE,,,,AS AMC & OLTL WILL BE,,,,,,,,,I WON’T WATCH ABC……
CERTAINLY MORE TALK SHOWS ARE NOT NEEDED. WE PUBLIC ARE
TALKED OUT. NEED SOMETHING TO RELAX WITH. THANK YOU.
Well I’m already boycotting ABC aside from AMC, OLTL, and GH… this just proves WHY. Frons and his crew can go to HELL. “Chew” on that!
If they take General off the air for her I’ll go crazy. wtf
What is going on the world?? Soaps are a part of our culture!!! I happen to love GH and this is ridiculous. There are too many talk shows on as it is…who cares?? Give us our soaps!! That what we housewives enjoy during the day. Keeps our sanity, knowing that our lives aren’t that bad considering!!! If abc gets rid of GH I will no longer watch that station…this is bull….I can’t stand Katie!!!’
I know for a fact I do not Katie…And another talk show. They are all the same….not special about any of them. However I do think Ellen does a good job. But the rest is just boring and ok. I know I will stop watching ABC…All my favorites…Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Greys, Practice and the Middle. I would definately stop watching them and our local new…I will switch over to NBC. How many reruns of Frasier or other old sitcoms that you have seen 1000s of times be watched or Infomercials…Maybe if you rearrange what programming you do have you can still keep the soaps and put your other stupid reality programming around the 1-4 time slot. Please keep our soaps. You can’t even move them to the soap net to keep them because you cancelled that, for what another stupid disney child channel. How many does that make? Maybe focus on your other programming where you have problem teen actors that are in the new all the time. They are real role models…I don’t know Disney…my kids want to go to Disney since they have never been there, but I will not grace the Kindom at all with your terrible decision making.
I HAVE ALREADY DECIDED TO DELETE ABC FOR MY TELEVISION IF ALL THIS SOAP CANCELLING GOES THRU, I CAN’T BELEIVE THEY ARE GOING THRU WITHTHIS. I HOPE ABC GOES UNDER
I hate cooking shows and most talk shows ..so i will not be watching…
ABC, You ABSOLUTLY STINK!!!!!! All my life I watched ABC soaps, now they are all cancelled? I will NEVER watch ABC again! I hope I am not the only one who feels this way, I also hope the network FAILS at every show you have!!!!!!!!!
So long ABC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOODBYE ABC No Soaps, no viewer!!!!!!
ABC You ABSOLUTELY STINK!!!!! All my life I watched ABC soaps, now they are all cancelled? I will never watch ABC again! I hope the network fails at EVERY show you have!!!
SO LONG ABC!!!!!!!!!!!
well thats it for me and my wife,..were out of here,..adios !! ABC,.. and that go’s for the rest of my family,..