"One Life to Live" may be going off the air, but veteran cast members will be sticking around ABC. Kassie DePaiva, Roger Howarth, Michael Easton and Kristen Alderson will reprise their "One Life to Live" roles on "General Hospital" as part of a new storyline.
"We have a very exciting story planned for the citizens of Port Charles, with Sonny Corinthos at the center of it! I am confident viewers and fans alike will be excited for the arrival of John (Easton), Starr (Alderson), Blair (DePaiva) and Todd (Howarth)," Frank Valentini, "General Hospital" executive producer, said in a statement. "Incorporating characters from 'One Life to Live' continue the legacy of the show as we weave them into 'General Hospital.'"
"One Life to Live" ends on Fri., Jan. 13. The show, which was set to move online following its ABC exit, has been on the air for more than 40 years. Sister soap opera "All My Children" ended its run in September. Prospect Park planned to move both soaps to a new online network, but the plans fell through.
"After five months of negotiations with various guilds, hundreds of presentations to potential financial and technology partners, and a hope that we could pioneer a new network for the future, it is with great disappointment that we are suspending our aspirations to revive 'One Life to Live' and 'All My Children' via online distribution," Prospect Park execs said in a statement in November. "It is now becoming clear that mounting issues make our ability to meet our deadlines to get 'OLTL' on the air in a reasonable time period following its January 13, 2012 ABC finale impossible."
"All My Children" was replaced by food and lifestyle series "The Chew," while healthy living show "The Revolution" takes the "One Life to Live" timeslot on Mon., Jan. 16.
Valenti, who served for years on "One Life to Live," moved to "General Hospital" after the Prospect Park plans fell through. Following the series finale of "One Life to Live," "General Hospital" will be the only soap on ABC's schedule, but its future is uncertain as the network prepares to launch Katie Couric's new talk show, "Katie."