General Hospital fans have been in a tizzy the past couple of days due to a rumor that the ABC series and viewer-favorite Roger Howarth (Franco) were having difficulty coming to a contract agreement. But it turns out the blind item was total bull.
Nathan Varni, who helps oversee the long-running soap opera, took to Facebook to clear up the rumor. "Soooo you know how sometimes people like to get our loyal GH fans all fired up over nothing? That sadly happened earlier today in regard to the magnificent & talented Roger Howarth," he wrote. "For some reason a certain blogger took a blind item which was posted and fooled everyone into believing it was Roger and GH related. I'm happy to confirm their 'sources' perhaps thought today was April Fools Day and decided to completely make up the story without ever reaching out to ABC to ask the question. Perhaps asking for the real answer would take the fun out of reporting inaccurate information. That truth is that blind item ... had absolutely nothing to do with GH or Mr. Howarth. For those who believed it, I'm truly sorry they fooled you, and for everyone who loves and watches & supports GH, I say thank you on behalf of one of the hardest working crews and cast I've ever been fortunate enough to work with. We can't tell you how much we all appreciate your viewership!"
The blind item that started the commotion was in a recent edition of Soap Digest. The item claimed that one show was "playing hardball with a veteran actor in midst of contract negotiations." By its definition, a blind item doesn't specify who the gossip morsel is about.