John Oliver is making a shift from comedy to daytime drama. The host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” will be starring on not one but two different soap operas this summer.
This week, Oliver will make his debut on “General Hospital.” His three-episode stint on the soap begins on Thursday, July 2, and will extend to Friday and then the following Monday.
Then, later this summer, he’ll also be appearing in some August episodes of “Days of Our Lives.”
How It All Began
During a March 2026 episode of “Last Week Tonight,” Oliver revealed he’d discovered EPSN’s Stephen A. Smith had been appearing on “General Hospital” for the past decade in the recurring role of Brick, surveillance expert for the Corinthos crime family. Claiming to be jealous of Smith’s soap stardom, Oliver pitched himself as a soap opera guest star.
“I have a genuine love for soaps … I want to be part of that world,” Oliver said. “So, to all the soap operas out there, let me say this: I am officially offering myself to you. Write me a role and I will be on your set so fast it’ll make your head spin.”
Oliver did, however, set a few conditions. “First, I don’t want to play myself, I want to be a character and I want his name to be ridiculous,” he said.
Stephen A. Smith Agreed to Get the Ball Rolling
Smith saw Oliver’s segment, and responded in a video he shared on Instagram. “You sure you ready for that?” Smith asked. “You gotta be willing to be that bad guy. You gotta wear that scowl. You gotta welcome being disliked.”
Smith added, “Being a soap opera guy is pretty cool … I’m gonna make a call to ‘General Hospital’ about you, buddy.”
A ‘General Hospital’ Star Welcomed John Oliver with Open Arms
When “General Hospital” star Nancy Lee Grahn caught wind of Oliver’s plea, she immediately suggested he be cast as a love interest for her character, Alexis Davis.
“I want him,” Grahn wrote on Threads. “Alexis needs a hot love interest and it will be short termed without a lasting commitment since all her lovers eventually become psychopaths and die. #JohnOliver would make a perfect psychopath. It’ll write itself.”
John Oliver’s Soapy Reveal
PeacockOn the Sunday, June 28 edition of “Last Week Tonight,” Oliver informed viewers that the two soap operas had taken him up on his offer. “I am happy to say that I’ve already taped a week of episodes on ‘Days of Our Lives,’ which is clearly a huge honor,” Oliver said, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s been home to some of the most renowned soap opera actors, like Deidre Hall, Susan Seaforth Hayes and John Aniston,” he said, adding, “It’s also featured guest appearances from legends like Dick Van Dyke, Betty White and now me.”
Oliver then unveiled a photo of his bewigged character in the show, who appears in a scene with Dan Feuerriegel (who plays “Days” character EJ DiMera).
“What I love most about that photo is that even though you can only see the back of the other actor’s neck, you can tell how much I visually don’t belong anywhere near him,” Oliver quipped. “His back is an L.A. 10, and my front is a Middle-earth three.”
John Oliver Will Play an ‘Integral Character’ In ‘General Hospital‘
ABCABC confirmed that Oliver would be appearing in three episodes of “General Hospital,” beginning this week.
“When John Oliver publicly threw down the gauntlet and said he wanted to appear on a soap, we didn’t hesitate for a second,” said “GH” exec producer Frank Valenti in a statement. “He was everything you’d hope he’d be: prepared, professional, funny and genuinely kind to everyone on set. He plays an integral character in the story, and I can’t wait for fans to see who he crosses paths with in Port Charles.”
Oliver responded with a statement of his own. “’General Hospital’ was everything I hoped it would be,” he said. “It’s a true honor to be a small stain on the history of this illustrious show.”
John Oliver’s Soap-Star Summer
Oliver’s social media team at “Last Week Tonight” responded with a message on Instagram, accompanying photos of Oliver from both “General Hospital” and “Days of Our Lives.”
“This summer, John will appear in not one but TWO soap operas,” read the caption. “And we would like to thank both ‘General Hospital’ and ‘Days of Our Lives’ for each doing something uniquely outlandish to his hair. Finally: John is hot.”
Not to be outdone, the “General Hospital” Instagram feed shared a brief snippet of Oliver’s appearance on the show, with the comedian costumed in a dark suit (and even darker hair) while accompanied by two heavily armed men in body armour.
When Can Fans Catch John Oliver’s Soap Appearances?
John Oliver will first appear on “General Hospital” on Thursday, July 2, and will recur in the Friday, July 3 and Monday, July 6 episodes.
“Days of Our Lives” viewers will have to wait until next month to see Oliver. He’ll appear in that show in the episodes airing August 11, 12, and 14.
