Fans of the long-running soap opera General Hospital were left disappointed on January 20, 2026, when no new episode aired as scheduled. Viewers had been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to a dramatic cliffhanger involving main characters Drew and Willow. Instead of the anticipated episode, the network preempted the show for nationwide breaking news coverage of a White House press conference.
Network Response to Viewers
ABC executive Nathan Varni addressed the situation directly on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. He stated, “Hi everyone — today’s episode of #GH is being interrupted by a press conference, which is beyond our control. We don’t yet have a duration, but we’re monitoring closely and will share updates as soon as possible. Thanks so much for your patience!”
Shortly thereafter, Varni confirmed that the episode would be rescheduled for the following day. He noted, “Heads up, #GH fans. Due to ongoing live news coverage, today’s episode will now air tomorrow. Our Canadian viewers will see an encore tomorrow.” This adjustment meant that while fans in the United States faced a delay, Canadian audiences received an encore presentation of a previous episode.
Impact on Viewers
The decision to delay the episode was not taken lightly, given the high anticipation among fans after a cliffhanger that left Drew collapsing after being injected by Willow. While some viewers in certain U.S. time zones saw a rerun due to early cessation of the news coverage, ABC opted not to post the episode on Hulu or ABC.com to maintain continuity for all viewers.
This disruption to the schedule has stirred frustration among fans, particularly considering the heightened suspense from the previous episode. With the cliffhanger unresolved, audiences must now wait a little longer to discover the fate of their favorite characters.
Despite the network’s best efforts to communicate and manage the scheduling conflict, the interruption serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of live television. For devoted fans of General Hospital, the wait for resolution continues.