There are rumors of major changes brewing behind-the-scenes at General Hospital. It should be noted that these rumors are really nothing new -- just the names and details are different.
According to the rumors, Bob Guza Jr. will return to General Hospital -- but not as head writer. Guza, who served as the show's top scribe until September 2000, is said to be returning as the show's executive producer. The show's current EP, Jill Farren Phelps, assumed the helm in January 2001 after being shuffled from her post as EP of One Life to Live. To say that Phelp's tenure at General Hospital has been rocky would be a bit of an understatement. Phelps has been panned by both fans and critics for taking GH down a road of dark storylines. Several of the show's main plots had to be quickly rewritten following the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Additionally, Phelps has been the target of numerous Internet rumors. The most recent of these "attacks" came in June when allegations were made that Phelps had arranged for the firing of several performers with whom she did not get along. The rumors were adamantly denied by Phelps and the performers mentioned in the rumors.
Elsewhere, the return of Michele Val Jean to the show's writing staff has some speculating that Val Jean could return to the head writer position, replacing the show's current head writer Megan McTavish. Like Phelps, McTavish has also received a great deal of criticism over the show's direction of late.
The changes behind-the-scenes have been taking place for several months. According to at least one show insider, ABC has gotten more involved in the way that the show is handled.
Officially, no one is making any comment. Neither Guza's camp nor a GH spokesperson would confirm the reports. "It is not our policy to comment on rumors," states a GH spokesperson.
