Why General Hospital Won’t Air a New Episode on Friday, July 4

Wondering why General Hospital won’t air a new episode on July 4? As the holiday approaches, viewers tuning in for the latest drama in Port Charles will instead find a previously aired episode. ABC has made a scheduling change for the day, following a familiar pattern seen in past years.

Here’s everything you need to know about General Hospital’s July 4, 2025 preemption and when the next new episode will air.

Why ABC will not air a new episode of General Hospital on July 4

ABC will not broadcast a new episode of General Hospital on Thursday, July 4, 2025. Instead, the network will air a repeat of the November 27, 2024 episode, which featured Lulu coming face-to-face with Rocco.

The change in schedule is due to the Independence Day holiday. ABC traditionally preempts daytime dramas on July 4 to accommodate special programming or lower viewership expectations. This pattern aligns with past years when the show also aired encore presentations on national holidays.

When will new General Hospital episodes return on ABC?

New episodes of General Hospital will resume on Monday, July 7, 2025. The regular weekday schedule will pick back up in its usual timeslot on ABC.

Soaps.com confirms that ABC will preempt General Hospital for only one day. The network will air an older episode on Friday, July 4, and resume the storyline with new developments in Port Charles the following Monday.

ABC has used this scheduling approach in previous years. For example, on July 4, 2024, a repeat of the July 7, 2023 episode aired instead of a new one. That pattern of holiday preemption followed by a prompt return has remained consistent.

The July 4 repeat episode will feature key past moments involving Lulu and Rocco. Meanwhile, new spoilers for the week of July 7 suggest the aftermath of Kristina’s fire rescue and Natalia’s overdose will drive the story forward. Viewers can expect major confrontations, courtroom drama, and escalating tension in the lives of several characters once the show resumes.

General Hospital continues to air weekdays on ABC at 1:00 PM Central / 2:00 PM Eastern.