Brandon Barash has announced on Twitter that he’s departing ABC’s “General Hospital.” In his message to fans, Barash tweeted, “With a bittersweet, heavy heart I announce my time at ‘GH’ has come to an end, as I have chosen to move on&pursue my NBA career. I love u all.”

Actor Jeffrey James Lippold will appear on the Monday, March 4 episode of ABC’s “General Hospital” as a police officer working at the Port Charles Police Department. The actor will share scenes with Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), who is expected to offer her resignation as Police Commissioner at the PCPD.

Despite an earlier report stating otherwise, based on information from Robin Strasser’s (Dorian Lord) telephone hotline, a senior level Prospect Park insider tells Soap Opera Network, “production has NOT been pushed back. This has been long planned to make way for a piece of the storyline that involves new sets and use of certain characters and not others.”

Michael Easton (John McBain) posted an update for fans wanting to know where he currently stands in the dispute between ABC’s “General Hospital” and TOLN’s “One Life to Live.” In a Facebook message, the actor said, “THANK YOU…your kind words of support mean the world to me. No word yet on when we might return to work but the fridge is stocked, the bills are paid, and I get to spend lots of precious time with my little girl.”

According to Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord) via her fan hotline (212-414-5300), “One Life to Live” will now begin filming new episodes for Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes on Monday, March 18. Previously, the series was scheduled to commence filming on Monday, March 11. The actress brought the news to light despite being unwell at the time. Early this morning Strasser tweeted, “What a difference a week makes when you’re feeling weak (lol) not sick of word play-just saying.”

As People Magazine gets ready to release its special collector’s edition honoring 50 years of “General Hospital” on Tuesday, March 12, the editors of Soap Opera Digest have collaborated on their own special tribute issue for the ABC Daytime drama series. Going on sale on Monday, March 25, the full sized Digest issue will include “revealing interviews, backstage gossip, photos, memories and more!”

Ratings Report for the Week of February 18-22, 2013

On Friday, March 1, during the east coast broadcast of ABC’s “General Hospital”” (2:00 – 3:00 PM ET/11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT), fans of Jack Wagner (Frisco Jones) will be able to chat live with the soap star as he discusses his characters quest to win the heart of ex-wife Felicia (Kristina Wagner). In the episode, Frisco reiterates his intention to win Felicia back, and later Felicia confides her quandary to Duke (Ian Buchanan), who urges her to face the problem head on.

In the newest issue of ABC Soaps In Depth, “General Hospital” star Julie Marie Berman has announced in an exclusive interview that she is leaving the series after seven and a half years portraying Lulu Spencer. “I always have a desire to grow and challenge myself in other mediums. And there are enough reasons now that my gut is telling me this is the right time to finally let go of ‘GH.'” Berman says she informed her bosses back in July of last year that she had plans to leave the series. “I gave my notice in July to leave when my contract was up in November last year,” said Berman, who also explained that she decided to stay a little while longer after subsequent discussions between her management team and “GH” executive producer Frank Valentini.

As had been widely expected, Rick Springfield is returning to ABC’s “General Hospital” just as the soap gets ready to hit the half century mark. According to People Magazine, Springfield, who debuted as Dr. Noah Drake on “GH” in 1981 before launching himself into superstardom starting with the debut of hit single “Jessie’s Girl,” will reprise his role over the course of several episodes in April.

He wooed the ladies on “General Hospital,” and now Ingo Rademacher is set to woo America as a contestant on the 16th season of “Dancing With The Stars.” Paired with dancer Kym Johnson, Rademacher will be competing against a very diverse cast, including country star Wynonna Judd, “American Idol” alum Kellie Pickler, actress Zendayz Coleman, comedian Andy Dick, Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill, comedian D.L. Hughley, football player Jacoby Jones, boxer Victor Ortiz, Olympic gymnast Alexandra Raisman, and reality star Lisa Vanderpump.

Ratings Report for the Week of February 11-15, 2013

The last time People Magazine offerred a collector’s edition of a soap opera was in September 2011, when the mag celebrated the life and history of the then canceled “All My Children.” This time the magazine is celebrating the continued life and history of “General Hospital” with a special 50th Anniversary collector’s edition that finds Luke and Laura Spencer (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis), Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms), Sonny Corinthos and Brenda Barrett (Maurice Benard and Vanessa Marcil), Duke Lavery and Anna Devane (Ian Buchanan and Finola Highes), and Jagger Cates (Antonio Sabato Jr.) gracing the cover.

On Thursday, February 14, Soap Opera Network was first to report on Roger Howarth returning to “One Life to Live.” In our initial reporting it appeared that the actor would be returning to the soap full-time, but as the day progressed we soon learned that it would only be for four weeks with Howarth scheduled to begin filming on Monday, March 18, at the Stamford, CT studios for the online reboot of the series, per the actors management. Why the initial confusion? It looks as though Roger’s deal to return to “OLTL” was just being signed as Soap Opera Network went to press, per Howarth’s management, so word of his return to “OLTL” was correct, but length was unclear.

Earlier today we posted our ratings report for the week of February 4-8, 2013 and it looks as though the debut of Steve Burton on “The Young and the Restless” and Jack Wagner’s return to “General Hospital” have helped bring new (or returning) viewers back to daytime television.

On Thursday, February 21, during the east coast broadcast of ABC’s “General Hospital” (2:00 – 3:00 PM ET/11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT) fans of Lynn Herring (Lucy Coe) will be able to chat live with the soap star as she discusses her characters crazy antics in an episode that finds Lucy being transferred to Ferncliff, while Molly (Haley Pullos) comes in with recent pictures of Sam (Kelly Moaco), which she hopes will help the police find Sam and her baby. Lucy is fearful for Sam and her baby and believes they are in serious danger, so Lucy concocts a plan to help secure her freedom as she believes she can help save the two.

With just a week to go before production is set to begin once more on “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” after more than a year since both series aired their last episodes on ABC, a number of behind the scenes personnel have been hired on to help spearhead the soaps into the digital world via Hulu and iTunes later this spring.

When we reported that Marlene McPherson (pictured right, with former “DAYS” co-head writer Darrell Ray Thomas) had been hired on as head writer of Prospect Park’s version of “All My children” back on January 23, it was unclear at the time as to whether she would be joined by a co-head writer. Soap Opera Network has since learned that it’ll be a “Days of our Lives” reunion of sorts for “AMC” as McPherson will be joined by Elizabeth Snyder, who was an Associate Head Writer at “DAYS” from 2011-2012.

Ratings Report for the Week of February 4-8, 2013

“General Hospital’s” Jon Lindstrom (Dr. Kevin Collins) directed and co-produced “How We Got Away With It,” a gripping, taut and explosive tale of a young man and his friend’s violent reaction to an unexpected tragedy during their annual all-weekend summer reunion. “Got Away With It” is a troubling and sometimes difficult piece about abuse, secrets, denial and revenge.