John Oliver, known for his satirical news program 'Last Week Tonight,' has made his acting debut on the ABC daytime soap opera 'General Hospital.' The talk show host appeared in a three-episode storyline playing Z, the director of the World Security Bureau (WSB), a fictional spy agency that has been part of the show's narrative since 1980.
Oliver's casting came about after 'General Hospital' executive producer Frank Valentini learned of Oliver's expressed desire to act on a soap opera. "My reaction was, ‘Let’s go for it,’" Valentini told TV Insider. "When I watched it, I said, ‘Oh, we gotta go for this,’ and everybody was very excited. The timing worked out perfectly because we needed somebody to be Z, the head of the WSB."
Oliver's appearance was met with enthusiasm from fans, with one user on X noting, “John Oliver is doing a fantastic job as “Z” bringing him on as the head of the WSB was a brilliant idea. The role suits him #GH.” A particularly viral moment from Oliver's arc involved his character being slapped by iconic character Carly Corinthos, played by Laura Wright.
In an official press release from ABC, Oliver stated, “General Hospital was everything I hoped it would be. It’s a true honor to be a small stain on the history of this illustrious show.” His episodes aired on July 2, July 3, and July 6. New episodes of 'General Hospital' air weekdays on ABC at 3 p.m. ET/PT, with episodes typically available to stream on Hulu the following day.