DECEMBER 27
Former GH star Chad Brannon (ex-Zander) and wife Carly welcomed a baby boy, Hudson Allen, on December 18. Digest caught up with the proud pop on Christmas Eve. The bundle of joy isn't the only news in the actor's life. "I am very excited, I just signed with new agents, Rebel Entertainment Partners. I am just stoked," shares Brannon, "I am looking forward to what is going to happen this next year as far as on-camera stuff film and TV stuff. My voiceover stuff is just cranking, it is just a huge blessing. It is just continuing to keep me super, super busy. I am up for some pretty big voiceover things right now actually. We will just wait to see what will happen with that." And the actor may be heading back to soaps, in a sense. He explains, "Here is a funny thing with the voiceover deal. I am up for possibly being the voice of SOAPnet, which is very funny. I think it is between me and one other guy. We are seeing what is happening there. It may have ended up going the other way since I was busy with baby. It is pretty crazy. I have been in there for three different callbacks. They have been great people to work with. So anyway, I could end up being the new voice of the network. We will see if that happens or not."

Keep up-to-date with all the soap news by picking up a copy of the January 1 Soap Opera Digest.

DECEMBER 26
So it turns out, GH's Nikolas, who has been raging and seeing visions of his late fiancée Emily, isn't loco, he's got a brain tumor. See what Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr. had to say about the tragic tale in the January 1 Soap Opera Digest, which also includes a 2008 New Year News for every soap.

DECEMBER 5
According to Sarah Brown's (ex-Carly, GH; ex-Julia, ATWT) official Web site, www.sarahbrown.net, the actress is returning to GH. More info to follow as it becomes available.

NOVEMBER 16
Kristina Wagner gave her first interview since inking a deal to return to GENERAL HOSPTIAL as Felicia, the role she played from 1984-2005. The fan favorite shares the backstory she created to explain Felicia's long absence. "It involves hooking up with Frisco," she teases. As for the reason for Felicia's return? "There's going to be some amazing drama," Wagner adds. Since leaving GH, Wagner has returned to school. "I changed my major three times, starting with theater, going to liberal studies. And just last spring, I changed it to history." Pick up the December 11 issue of Soap Opera Weekly for the full interview, which includes a personal photo of Wagner's two teenage sons with actor Jack Wagner (Nick, B&B).

NOVEMBER 7
An attorney for GENERAL HOSPITAL's Kirsten Storms (Maxie) pleaded no contest on his client's behalf in an L.A. Courtroom Wednesday, November 7. Storms was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to attend 12 AA meetings — two a week — starting immediately. Her driver's license was suspended for six months and she must pay a $390 fine. Storms was arrested over the September 8 weekend. A CHP officer stopped her blue Mercedes when she threw a lit cigarette out the window. The officer noticed the smell of alcohol and she was given — and failed — a sobriety test. She was taken to Van Nuys Jail, booked on DUI charges and later released on $5,000 bail.

Check out upcoming issues of Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly for more information.

OCOT0BER 19
After months of hearing the name GENERAL HOSPITAL's Anthony Zacchara, the dreaded mob boss finally shows his face — and he looks just like that guy from HILL STREET BLUES! Emmy winner Bruce Weitz (who wowed fans two decades ago as the barking Sgt. Belker) joins the cast, and according to Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr., thrills, chills and spills lie ahead. "This has worked out extremely well," Guza enthuses. "I had originally envisioned somebody who was much more physically imposing but when they told me that Bruce was out there, I was like, 'Oh, my God. You think he'd like to do it?' We brought him in, had a long talk with him and he is just unbelievable because the character he is playing is a certified whack job. He is criminally and pathologically insane. And what Bruce gives you is not only glimmers of a mobster who is ruthless and fearless, but you also get a sense of vulnerability because we're going to talk about what made the man this way. He will do anything. And the moment he walks on camera, you're almost cowering because, really, anything can happen."

SEPTEMBER 20
Kirsten Storms (Maxie, GH, ex-Belle, DAYS) was officially charged on Sept. 18 with two counts of misdemeanor drunken driving resulting from her Sept. 7 arrest. She was stopped driving her blue Mercedes-Benz after police officers saw her throw a lit cigarette out of the window. Her blood-alcohol level was 0.13, above the Calif. legal limit of 0.08.

Storms will be arraigned Oct. 2 in Van Nuys Superior Court on one count of driving under the influence and one count of driving a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 or more. If convicted, she faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

SEPTEMBER 7
GENERAL HOSPITAL found itself in very good company on Sept. 7 — among the likes of THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW, ALL IN THE FAMILY, FRIENDS and THE SOPRANOS — when Time Magazine offered up its list of the 100 greatest television shows of all time. Time cited the ABC soap among the best of the best, noting that under the helm of late producer Gloria Monty during the Luke and Laura era GH had "the greatest cultural reach of any daytime soap opera ever," ultimately paving the way for prime-time soaps like DYNASTY. Kudos to the long-running Quartermaine family, who got special mention.

SEPTEMBER 7
Is the buzz true that GH's Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) and Natalia Livingston (Emily) are on the chopping block? No way, says GH Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr. "Both of these actors are locked down," he insists. "There's no covering up here. They're around and what happens to Nikolas in the coming weeks is going to be a catalyst for [November] sweeps." For more about this story — and other rumors making the rounds — check out the new issue of Soap Opera Digest.

SEPTEMBER 6
After weeks of hearing the dreaded name Anthony Zacchara, GH's maniacal mob boss finally has a face — and it belongs to veteran character actor Bruce Weitz. Best known for his Emmy-winning role of Sgt. Mick Belker on HILL STREET BLUES, Weitz has also appeared on SISTERS (ex-Pug), ER (ex- Alderman Bright) and JUDGING AMY (ex-Martin). His first air date is October 12. The role is recurring.

POLL: Which of Sonny’s former foes was the biggest menace? Click here to vote!

SEPTEMBER 4
GENERAL HOSPITAL bad girl Amelia's days are numbered — literally. Actress Annie Wersching, who joined the show in March, has been cast as a series regular on 24 and begins filming as Agent Renee Walker on Sept. 7. Wersching took a break from GH earlier this year to film the pilot COMPANY MAN and was briefly replaced by actress Darby Stanchfield. No word yet on whether or not Stanchfield will replace her now that she’s keeping company with Jack Bauer.

AUGUST 24
No, not "Blond One" Lulu, but "Loyal Little Sister" Georgie, who has been flying solo since Scott Clifton departed from the role of Dillon. "We are going to commit to a mini-romance here," shares GENERAL HOSPITAL Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr. who has some fun in store for "The Jackal." Keep checking www.soapoperadigest.com for more details.

GENERAL HOSPITAL has confirmed the exit of Kiko Ellsworth (Stan), who was pulling double-duty on GH and GH: NIGHT SHIFT. It was Ellsworth's decision to leave the role of Stan, which he has played since February. Ellsworth, who reportedly left to focus on other projects, is set to begin filming I Am in September ,according to his official site www.iamkiko.com. There are no current plans for a recast, though interestingly enough, Stan's on-screen mom Sonya Eddy (Epiphany) was recently upped to contract status.

AUGUST 22
Stephen Macht joins the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL as Trevor Lansing, Ric's father, on Aug. 22. A working actor since 1973, Macht has been in over 85 television shows, including a nine-episode stint as Joe Cooper on KNOTS LANDING in 1982. He also has a daytime credit on that list: he played Dr. Elliot Durbin on ONE LIFE TO LIVE in 1996.

Trevor will be involved in the Ric/Sonny/Kate storyline. Think the mob.

AUGUST 10
Sonya Eddy, who joined GENERAL HOSPITAL as the outspoken Epiphany in March 2006, is now a contract player. "What I love about her is she's a taskmaster," says the actress. "She's like one of those teachers you had in school who were very demanding and you couldn't stand at the time, but looking back, you see the impact they had on your lives."

JULY 9
Billy Dee Williams will join the cast of SOAPnet's GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT. He will play Toussaint, a man with a haunted past. A solid dose of GH faves will be pulling double duty on the spinoff sudser — which will premiere in July on the all soap network — including Steve Burton (Jason), Kimberly McCullough (Robin), Jason Thompson (Patrick), Kirsten Storms (Maxie), Julie Marie Berman (Lulu), Natalia Livingston (Emily), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Spencer), Kent King (Lainey), Jason Gerhardt (Coop), Josh Duhon (Logan), Lindze Letherman (Georgie), Kiko Ellsworth (Stan), Sonya Eddy (Epiphany), Minae Noji (Kelly), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Adrian Alvarado (Rodriquez) and Derk Cheetwood (Max).

JULY 1
Despite industry buzz that Natalia Livingston had been axed from GENERAL HOSPITAL, the actress inked a new deal to stay in Port Charles and has issued a statement to put rumor mongers to rest. "I have no doubt that my fans, friends and family at GH will easily distinguish between fact and fiction, reject sensationalist headlines, Internet blogsites, and know that if a statement didn't sound like something I would say I simply did not say it," says the actress in a statement. "I released one official statement a while back when contract negotiations were at a standstill and I am speaking out now ... And this is it. GH and I started contract negotiations several months ago... Both wanting to work something out. We have finally come to a deal where both sides are happy. With that said, I am, have been, and will always be incredibly grateful to GH for giving me such a wonderful job. I love and treasure every day on the show."