The news surrounding soaps just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it? Beyond the Gates, which premiered in February 2025, just received a two-year pickup, keeping it on CBS through seasons 3 and 4!

The announcement came on April 15, just a day after the 15th anniversary of All My Children and One Life to Live being canceled. I remember that day so clearly, wondering if daytime could really survive as a four-soap lineup. Not only did it survive, it proved there’s still a real appetite for this kind of ongoing storytelling — the kind only soaps can deliver. And now, with BTG thriving it gives me hope that this beloved medium will continue to grow.

Congratulations to creator Michele Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, and the entire cast and crew. I had the great privilege of visiting the set in January and I can tell you that there is such a genuine sense of camaraderie and excitement at what they’re building. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead now that they have two more years to plan and tell their stories.

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Attention, General Hospital fans! Port Charles is about to turn into the city of brotherly love. Elliott Carr, brother of Finn Carr, who plays Rocco Falconeri, will appear on GH on June 1.

Finn was all in the moment he heard his brother landed the gig. “Funny story — when I found out Elliott was joining GH, I literally jumped out of my chair and screamed,” Finn tells me. “Pretty sure I accidentally jump-scared Alexa [Havins, Lulu] and Dom [Zamprogna, Dante] … they were innocently running lines in the same room.”

For Elliott, it was just as meaningful. “Getting to be on the same show as my brother was an amazing opportunity and experience,” he says. “Finn has developed such a great rapport with all the cast and crew that I felt welcomed and accepted just by being his brother. He’s such a good kid and he made my job easier just by being himself.”

They didn’t share any scenes — but both are already eyeing a future do-over. “Unfortunately, we did not have an overlap in our scenes this time,” adds Elliott, “but I’m hopeful that one day we’ll be able to share the screen together! Working with my brother has always been on the bucket list. Would love to be back soon!”

Patrick Muldoon, who played Austin Reed on Days of our Lives from 1992-95 and again from 2011-12, passed away suddenly on April 19 at the age of 57 following a heart attack. He was always kind when we spoke — fun, upbeat and generous with his energy — and it’s hard to imagine someone with such a big personality is gone so young.

After leaving the soap, Patrick moved to Melrose Place, where he played Richard Hart, and later appeared in the movie Starship Troopers with Denise Richards (ex-Shauna, B&B). The day before his death, he posted on Instagram that he was a part of a new crime thriller called KOCKROACH, starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Edgerton and Alex Baldwin (ex-Joshua, Knots Landing; ex-Billy, The Doctors).

Alison Sweeney (ex-Sami, Days), who worked closely with Patrick from the day she started in 1993 until he left in 1995, tells me exclusively, “I am truly devastated to read about Patrick’s passing. So many stories popped immediately into my mind of my first experience at Days and how lucky and grateful I am to have had the chance to work with him. He was always looking after me, helping me adjust to the crazy things my character was up to in our scenes together.”

Ali says Patrick helped her out before she got the job. “Even in my screen test, I remember the stage manager saying, ‘Don’t forget to close the door behind you,’ and I must’ve looked panicked, because Patrick just smiled at me, with that incredibly charming easy-going way he had, and said, ‘Don’t worry about the door,’” she shares. “And then he did some big, kooky thing as we entered the scene to totally distract me from my nerves. That was just the kind of guy he was. Always thinking about everyone else in the situation.”

Former co-star Kristian Alfonso (ex-Hope, DAYS) tweeted, “You will be missed Patrick. Thank you for always being so kind. You were so talented, I was lucky to have worked with you. My condolences to his family.” Kate Mansi (Kristina, GH; ex-Abigail, DAYS), posted on Instagram, “To the original Cali boy rocker, love you forever. No one LIVED and LOVED like you.”

Rest in peace, Patrick.  

Ryan Paevey (Cassius, GH) will star alongside Britt Robertson, Kevin Dillon and Natasha Henstridge in Great American Family’s Christmas at Moose Lake. This marks Paevey’s first film for the network; he previously headlined Hallmark favorites like Marrying Mr. Darcy and Christmas at the Plaza.

The best soap feel-good story of 2026 keeps rolling along: Deidre Hall (Marlena, DAYS, below) received her flowers — and a big bouquet of them, at that — from Ryan Gosling, who has publicly declared his admiration for her, soap actors in general and Days of our Lives specifically. “Ryan, just when I thought I couldn’t feel more adored… your ‘wall’ of flowers arrived. Unnecessary, but greatly appreciated,” Deidre posted on Instagram. Hank Northrop (Liam) aptly commented, “Gosling puts the G in Gentleman 👏👏.”

Kyle Lowder (ex-Brady/Rex, Days; ex-Rick, B&B), who pivoted to news broadcasting in 2023, has been tapped to co-host Newsmax’s Wake Up America Weekend. He and Kenzie Beach will anchor the show on Saturdays from 7-9am ET and Sundays from 7-10am ET. Lowder spent three years anchoring the weekday morning news for CBS affiliate KTVN in Reno, Nevada prior to his new gig in New York City.

Ashley Jones has joined Beyond the Gates in a new role. The actress, who appears as Bridget on B&B, and whose soap credits include Parker on GH and Megan on Y&R, posted from her dressing room, clad in a BTG robe, teasing, “I’ve been busy … and right in time for seasons 3 & 4 renewals. TWO more years.”

Jonathan Bennett, who got his soap start playing All My Children’s J.R. Chandler and is more recently known for his Hallmark films and Food Network hosting gigs, is heading to GH to play a new character named Joe Fitzpatrick. “We’re so excited to have Jonathan joining our cast,” said Executive Producer Frank Valentini. “He’s a tremendous talent and will be a fantastic addition to GH.” Jonathan will first appear in Port Charles next month.

Conner Floyd will make his Days debut as Chad DiMera on Tuesday, May 21. Someone who will be tuning in? His predecessor in the role, Billy Flynn, who now plays Y&R’s Cane. When I recently spoke with Billy about Conner’s casting, he said, “I’m really excited to see what he does with it. He’s handsome, he’s such a sweet guy, and I think that he was the perfect choice to take the part.”

Sal Stowers rejoins Days on Monday, April 20 as Lani Price Grant. The actress left the soap in 2022 and has made visits since, but will now be back on a regular basis.

Michael James Scott, who stars on as the genie in Broadway’s Aladdin, will appear on GH on Friday, April 24 in scenes with Gio (Giovanni Mazza) and Emma (Braedyn Bruner).

Newsletter-exclusive highlights from my recent interviews.

After leaving GH in 2012, Nathan Dean (Ethan Lovett) went on to land starring roles on The Originals and Roswell, New Mexico, and he credits his years in Port Charles with providing a strong foundation for those projects.

“I think having General Hospital as a background for me made me so much more adaptable to whatever was happening,” Nathan told me. “If it was a crazy fight scene or even just a quiet conversation, I was much more capable of locking in and really knowing exactly where I needed to be and what the camera was seeing, because you have to learn all of that in such a fast-paced environment like a soap, so I think it carried over very nicely.”

As for what he’s most recognized for, Nathan said, “It’s probably a toss-up between General Hospital and The Originals. But I’ll go do conventions and stuff for The Originals or Roswell, and there’s always a very strong contingent of people saying, ‘When are you coming back to GH? Where’s Ethan?’ No matter where, even if it’s for a completely different show, they’re like, ‘I know you from General Hospital.’”

He remains appreciative of that continued support from the fans. “The show is there every day for the audience, and you really become a part of their family,” he noted. “Your stories become a part of their story in a much more integral way than if you’re just doing 10 episodes that come out once a year. So the fact that I’ve been asked about it for years, and now we’re making it happen, the response has been great and I’m very excited.”

Beyond the Gates

Isn’t Vernon just the best husband in soaps? The confetti-filled balloons he brought Anita for her second-to-last chemo round were darling. And his scenes with Madison — where he mentioned some issues he’s been having — were brief, but very touching. Protect this man and his health at all costs, please. I also appreciated seeing Anita in the cold cap while getting chemo. The soap has committed to the realism of her cancer journey in a way we haven’t seen before…. Hayley mentioning Barbara Ryan Originals was a fun Easter egg for those of us who watched As the World Turns and loved Colleen Zenk in the role. Maybe she needs to swing by Fairmont Crest?

The Bold and the Beautiful

Wow, the gig as the Forrester receptionist must pay pretty well if Miss(y) Dylan was able to use her first paycheck to secure a new place to live — in Los Angeles…. My absolutely favorite scenes on this show are between Brooke and Katie. To use the most overused term, Brooke is completely gaslighting her sister, no? Katie did nothing wrong! She hired Eric — who had been pushed out of Forrester — and gave him a sense of purpose, plus a platform to prove he’s still a relevant, talented designer. Why is she being vilified for it? But honestly, I truly can’t get enough of these sister showdowns…. Loved that we not only got a Sally Spectra mention, but a Quinn Fuller one, too!

Days of our Lives

Suzanne Rogers (Maggie) showed exactly why she was the Daytime Emmy’s first-ever Outstanding Supporting Actress winner in 1979 during her recent scenes with Lauren Koslow’s Kate. I love how Maggie gave it back to Kate as good as she got it and held her own…. Nice scenes, too, for Greg Rikaart (Leo) when Javi told Leo he had moved on. Greg played a host of complex emotions as Y&R’s Kevin, so it’s great to see him doing more than just comic relief with Leo…. I get that Kristen is a fierce mama bear, but holding Marlena responsible for Rachel’s current situation feels like a bit of a reach.

General Hospital

How much do the babies playing Phoebe (it’s always twins when they’re young) love Amanda Setton (Brook Lynn)? The way they smile at her is just the cutest thing ever…. I’m really glad that Willow finally Nina that she was the one who shot Drew, then “neutralized” him with a paralytic drug. Katelyn MacMullen (Willow) delivered a standout performance in those reveal scenes, and Cynthia Watros (Nina) was equally compelling as Nina processed the shocking truth that the syringe of “pain medication” she injected Drew with actually contained the drug, making her an unwitting accomplice…. Speaking of unburdening, I also liked the quick disclosure that it was Brook Lynn driving the car that Jordan nearly hit, and Jordan waking up in time to remember that she was actually at fault.

Young and Restless

The scenes where Matt taunted Nick while holding him captive were as twisted as they were great. Roger Howarth and Joshua Morrow were firing on all cylinders…. Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe) directed a fantastic episode on April 14. There were beautiful moments between Stephanie and Lily talking about Malcolm and Holden. I liked how Traci diplomatically pointed out to Diane that she faked her death, so give Jack a little grace. (And are we just sidestepping that he was drugged and taken advantage of by Patty? It’s not like he actively sought her out…) But the fact that the show has mined so much story out of Jack helping Nikki when she hit rock bottom drinking two years ago is pretty impressive.

Teasers for The Bold and the Beautiful were unavailable for this week.

MONDAY, APRIL 13

Beyond the Gates: Dani confronts Andre about his run-in with Bill; Leslie and Vanessa bond; and Derek and Ashley have a heated exchange about Grayson.

Days of our Lives: Chanel and Lani catch up; Stephanie leans on Jeremy; Theo opens up to Gabi; and Rafe and Cat revisit the DiMera medical mystery.

General Hospital: Ethan and Kristina catch up; Sonny gets an unexpected visitor; Michael gets new intel; and Carly is startled.

The Young and the Restless: Lily asks Devon and Nate to see Holden in a new light; Billy and Sally process their new normal; and Stephanie connects with an old friend.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14

Beyond the Gates: Nicole seeks out Joey for a tense exchange; Martin confides in Vernon; Tomas gets new intel about Lynette; and Hayley covers her tracks.

Days of our Lives: Cat and Chad have an awkward reunion; EJ kicks Gwen out of the DiMera mansion; and Leo stalks Javi’s new boyfriend online.

General Hospital: Sonny takes a risk; Curtis confronts Isaiah; Britt is thrown for a loop; and Dante pays a visit to Cullum.

The Young and the Restless: Victor gives his enemies a warning shot; Danny helps Christine with a tough decision; and Michael shares a secret with Lauren.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

Beyond the Gates: Someone gets stabbed; Bill learns something disturbing, which puts Hayley in the hot seat; and Shanice and Ted discuss their evolving relationship.

Days of our Lives: Marlena presses Xander; Kristen reconnects with Lani; Kate lies to Roman; and Tate and Sophia clash.

General Hospital: Jordan confides in Curtis; Josslyn looks for answers; Gio has a surprise for Emma; Britt fears for a loved one’s safety; and Lulu voices her concern.

The Young and the Restless: Victor makes good on a promise; Diane finds Jack and Nikki in a compromising position; and Victoria digs for dirt on Phyllis.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16

Beyond the Gates: Joey makes Martin an offer; Vernon gets an important update from Madison; Anita gets a surprise visit from Vanessa; and Ren’s news causes Jacob and Smitty to panic.

Days of our Lives: Jeremy opens up to Julie; Leo tries to make plans with Javi; Chad questions Gwen; and EJ is blindsided.

General Hospital: Tracy reunites with Ethan; Gio and Emma go exploring; Elizabeth visits with Drew; Willow uses her influence; and Ric seeks Alexis’s opinion.

The Young and the Restless: Nick travels down a dangerous path; Cane makes a bold move to help Lily; and Holden leans on Claire.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

Beyond the Gates: Dani and Nicole comfort each other; Jan’s presence stresses Ashley out; Nicole and Carlton reconcile just as Kial swings by; and Vanessa makes herself at home in Joey’s condo.

Days of our Lives: Alex and Stephanie grow closer; Sarah chastises Xander; Brady is enraged on Marlena’s behalf; and Sophia waits for further instructions.

General Hospital: Felicia gets disturbing news; Valentin issues a warning; Cassius is offended; and Gio and Emma go backstage at Disney’s Aladdin.

The Young and the Restless: Victor makes Phyllis a deal she can’t refuse; Adam pushes Riza to come clean; and Sharon and Noah are ambushed in Vegas.

Check out this recent article I wrote for tvinsider.com.