Jason Cook Joins GH

1 SOAPnet.com has confirmed that Jason Cook is joining the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason is best known as Shawn Brady, the DAYS OF OUR LIVES character he played from 1999 to 2006. Shawn was one half of "Shawn and Belle," known by longtime fans as "Shelle" -- the pair who put the "super" back in supercouple in fictional Salem. And just who played Belle? That's right: Kirsten Storms, aka resident GENERAL HOSPITAL fashionista Maxie Jones. Jason will be playing a doctor who joins the staff at Port Charles's infamous hospital; no first airdate has been set, but he'll likely start appearing in June. We CAN tell you his character will be crossing paths with Maxie very early on. Could there be a "Shelle" redux? You'll have to stay tuned for more details!

Ripa and Consuelos join TLC

TLC will strengthen its programming roster with a pair of celebrity hubby-wife teams. Former ALL MY CHILDREN co-stars Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos have joined the TLC team to develop a number of scripted series, one of which will star Ripa. The TLC announcements came at Discovery Communications’ upfront presentation to advertisers here Wednesday afternoon a Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Melina Kanakaredes (ex-Eleni, GUIDING LIGHT) - 41 Jesse Lee Soffer (ex-Will, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Max, GUIDING LIGHT) - 24

News Brief

Special Message From Y&R's Music Men Mike Dobson & Bryan Harrison We are pleased to announce that airing this Friday, April 25th, is a heartfelt montage featuring a re-recording of "Bless The Beast And The Children". This song, composed by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. (Nadia's Theme) has been apart of our show's music theme for decades. It's been quite some time since we last used this song, so we decided to re-record it. Our search for a special vocalist was not easy, however, much to our surprise, our choice singer came from a family whose work has been apart of our show for years. Laura Ann Wright discretely submitted an example of her talents, but omitted any references to the fact that her uncle is Michael Damian (Danny). Rowell speaks on a possible Y&R return Victoria Rowell writes on her official website (login required): "Thank you so much for your continued support as I criss-crossed the country. Your love of my work as the writer of “The Women Who Raised Me”; as an actress on Young and the Restless and Diagnosis Murder; as well as my film work, has been a blessing. You’ve shown me that my performances are more than Daytime drama to you. Over 4 million people have visited me here on my website and for you; I would like to answer the ubiquitous question of “Are you coming back to the Young and the Restless”. Well, due to the barrage of Soap Opera tabloid and Internet speculation, I want to go on record to say that Drucilla would love nothing more than to claw her way up the cliff that she flipped off of, but Y&R has not sent her a rescue crew or a life line to help her out of the ravine that she’s been in for over a year. I am alive and well and the ball is in their court. Email to Sony Pictures Television and The Young the Restless is appreciated." Afghan TV stations defy ban on soap operas The Ministry of Information and Culture ordered four TV stations to take five Indian soaps off the air by April 14. Only Noorin TV suspended its soap - WAITING - so the ministry issued a second deadline that ended Tuesday. Ariana TV caved after the second letter, ending broadcasts of KUM KUM, a drama about the tangled love life of a widow who is wooed by her childhood sweetheart but ends up taking her dead husband's brother as her second husband. The ministry is now threatening legal action against the other networks, who accuse the democratic government of trying to re-Talibanize Afghanistan. VIDEO: DAYS stars talk about going green on Earth Day Blake Berris, Shawn Christian, Peggy McCay, Peter Reckell, Suzanne Rogers, Alison Sweeney and Arianne Zucker all appear in videos. BLOG: Alison Sweeney DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Alison Sweeney blogs on "Earth Day": Why am I humming that old song “My boyfriends back and you’re gonna be in trouble…” ha… because BRYAN’S BACK!!! Yay!!!! Bryan, James and I shot some photos for Soap Opera Digest today, so that’ll be out in early May. It’s so great having him back, but uh… OMG – the scenes around Lucas’ return are… (insert adjective here – correct answer? All of the above)!!! So total classic soap. I have so much I want to say about this… seriously? I’m dying to tell you all about it right now… but of course, you know me… I’d hate to spoil it for all of you. So, you’ll just have to watch and we can discuss when you get caught up! :) 1 R.I.P.: Nicolette Goulet The daughter of actor-singer Robert Goulet and a familiar face to soap fans, Nicolette Goulet on April 17 at the age of 51. She was a regular presence on daytime television during the 1970s and 1980s. She played recurring characters in several soaps including RYAN'S HOPE, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, AS THE WORLD TURNS and GUIDING LIGHT. She was buried at the Palm Valley View Memorial Park in Las Vegas. Fitzpatrick hunted after missing court date Former HOLLYOAKS actor Craig Fitzpatrick, who plays bad boy Lewis Sneddon in the BBC1 drama WATERLOO ROAD, failed to turn up for his trial and was found guilty in his absence. Magistrates in Ashton-under-Lyne were told that Fitzpatrick, 21, of Burnage, Greater Manchester, hit seven months pregnant Julie Owens over the head with a shoe at her flat before threatening to punch her in the stomach. BLOG: Rachel Melvin DAYS OF OUR LIVES actress Rachel Melvin blogs "For american idol fans only-otherwise u might be lost": Alright, so I'm in love with David Cook. And by "in love" I mean: as in love as any viewer could be watching the most talented person perform on television that she doesn't really know personally- but for the record I would LOVE to!- so if anyone knows him or the producers at American Idol, please contact me! haha Now, not to brag, but I have to admit that had I not engaged myself in a career of acting, I might otherwise be a talent scout of some sort. From day one of his audition, I knew and still do, that David Cook will take the whole thing. He has the voice, the look, and a genuine personality that my optomistic side would love to believe would be hard for him to lose should he make it big in this business- and I believe he will. INTERVIEW: Former DAYS star Matt Cedeno Last we saw Brandon Walker on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, he was drugged by Kate, woke up in bed with Sami and then left town. While we haven't seen the character since, his portrayer, Matt Cedeno is another story. "Amazing how the time flies by. Three years already since I last appeared on the show! I actually had talked to Ken Corday (Days' Executive Producer) earlier this year about [possibly returning], but we'll see. I don't know. He had said there was something immediate, and then I think it just kinda faded. He got sick and I haven't reached back out and vice versa. I wouldn't say never, but nothing in the immediate works." Chapel Hill woman gets WORLD turn Meredith Hagner was riding the subway in New York when her agent left the message on her cell phone -- "Call us right back." Six weeks later, the 2005 Chapel Hill High School graduate is set to debut Thursday on the AS THE WORLD TURNS. Hagner's 16-year-old character, Liberty Ciccone, is spunky, she said from the set Tuesday morning. Liberty's entrance surprises another character, but don't try pumping Hagner for details. "Oh gosh," she said apologetically to the News & Observer. "I don't know if I'm supposed to say." It's the next big step for Hagner, 20, who knew she wanted to act "honestly, since I was a little, tiny kid." She moved to Brooklyn after graduation and landed commercials for Levi's, Radio Shack, Acuvue, Subway and JCPenney. But the mysterious Liberty -- Hagner had to dye her blond hair for the part -- is her meatiest role yet. Liberty is seen eating in many scenes. "I think one day I had a cheeseburger, a plate of eggs Benedict, a pretzel and two cinnamon buns, and all my scenes were before noon," Hagner said. "I was really sick the rest of the day." Hagner has had to adjust for a television audience. "On stage you're just so out there," she said. "It's easy to forget there's a box right there that's capturing everything."