News Round-up

Emory grad Natalia Livingston returning to GENERAL HOSPITAL
This time out, GH head writer Robert Guza Jr. has created a brand new character for the Emory University sociology grad. But her local family and friends had a hard time extracting information on the latest Port Charles resident from Livingston during her holiday visit here.

“Her name is Rebecca and she works at the hospital,” Livingston spilled. “She’s going to come in and shake things up. It’ll be interesting to see how the characters react to her. I’m not sure I’m allowed to tell you more than that!”

And when Rebecca strolls into GENERAL HOSPITAL, folks other than the now-cured Nikolas will think they’re seeing ghosts. However, Rebecca has short blond tresses.

“There is going to be some trial and error as this character gets fleshed out,” Livingston explained. “We had one hourlong conversation and then I started work the next day. There’s a molding process for the character. One minute, I had long dark hair and the next, it was all cut off and I was a blonde!”

GH's Robin & Patrick's wedding weapon free and sweet down to the last detail
"This wedding delivered the stuff that makes soaps great and for once, we didn't have to witness mobsters poised with weapons aiming at a bride."

FOX411: Deidre leaves DAYS
"Deidre Hall leaves DAYS OF OUR LIVES after 30 plus years on January 23rd. She’s the star, but show owner Ken Corday has decided to turn the dying serial over to 12-year-olds. Hall takes with her longtime co-star Drake Hogestyn, whose amnesiac character gets his memory back, remembers what Corday has done to the show, and decides to leave."

Lauri Hewitt's DAYS connection
Lauri Hewitt's an artist, not a television star. But the jewelry she fashions from spun glass and beads definitely has gone Hollywood.

Hewitt had some big moments on the set of DAYS OF OUR LIVES, which she 'fessed up to watching, as a "guilty pleasure" since she was a college coed.

"I studied literature and philosophy, who when I'd get home I'd just want to sit down and watch and sort of decompress," she said.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Deidre Hall took the visiting artists under her wing.

"She was taking us all around the set, giving us the tour, taking pictures with her camera," Hewitt said. "She found out it was near my birthday, so she gave me a signed script. She couldn't have been nicer."

Hewitt creates her jewelry with a process called lampworking, hand-spinning glass canes over an oxygen-infused torch and wrapping them around her glass beads. She decided to concentrate on glass work about 15 years ago while silversmithing in the Pike Place Market, because "this was the thing that really seemed to resonate with me."

ALL MY CHILDREN turns 39
AMC premiered on this day in 1970. And in today’s episode Adam wants to know where he stands with Erica. Ain’t that always the way.

Former ATWT guest star Ashley Michaelson is contestant on Kutcher's TRUE BEAUTY
The show, produced by Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher, leads 10 beautiful contestants living under one roof in Los Angeles to believe that they are being evaluated strictly on their looks. The catch is that they actually also are being judged on their inner beauty through hidden challenges throughout the course of the show. The winner gets $100,000 and will be featured in People magazine's Most Beautiful People issue.

The Curious Case of Sheridan and Spade Continues
Are DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' Nicollette Sheridan and David Spade actually becoming a couple? The two had dinner together on Saturday at Sushisamba in the Palazzo in Las Vegas.

“Although there wasn’t major PDA, they definitely were affectionate throughout their meal,” a source reports.

Play CORRIE game on your mobile phone
There's a CORONATION STREET mobile phone game up for grabs for just £1.99. It's got 200 questions and picture quizzes and if you really do want it, you can order it here.

There's also an odd Coronation Street jigsaw here.

Theatre legend invites students to bring ideas to the stage
Victor Knight has always had acting on his mind. He has shared that passion with Dawson students for a quarter century. “Victor’s 86. The man’s been around and he knows what he’s talking about,” said Kyle Pelletier, a third year student of Knight’s.

When Knight first arrived in Montreal, he began working in radio. He worked at a daily soap opera called "Laura Limited."

“Your mother may know about it, you wouldn’t though,” said Knight, addressing one of his students.