John Oliver to Guest Star on General Hospital

Comedian and late-night host John Oliver will make a guest appearance on the long-running ABC daytime drama "General Hospital" later this week, fulfilling a public plea he made earlier this year. Oliver announced the three-episode arc on the June 28 episode of his HBO program, "Last Week Tonight."

His episodes are scheduled to air on Thursday, July 2, Friday, July 3, and Monday, July 6. Details about his character remain undisclosed, though promotional images show Oliver with dyed black hair in a monochrome suit, indicating he is not playing himself. The role is described by the show's producers as a significant and integral part of an ongoing storyline.

The casting is the direct result of a segment Oliver aired on March 8, where he expressed a specific desire to appear on a soap opera. He cited ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith's recurring role on "General Hospital" as inspiration. At the time, Oliver laid out his conditions: he wanted to play a character with a ridiculous name involved in "something juicy, like murder, or slapping, or being slapped, or being someone’s long-lost something." He also requested a dramatic close-up of his face, promising to give his all to the...