NEWS:Jordanian Soap Star Dies While Filming Scene; Bradford Anderson & Emily Wilson To Visit 'GH'; IFC Rebranding; Series High for 'GoT'

Jordanian soap star Mahmoud al-Sawalqa dies filming deaths scene for 'Blood Brothers'
Mahmoud al-Sawalqa died on the set of the soap opera Blood Brothers, in front of actor Mundhir Rihane, who was playing his son, Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm reported on Tuesday.

Rihane was in a state of shock after the death on Saturday, the report said, quoting a statement from his office.

In a telephone interview with Egypt's CBC television, Rihane recounted the tragic event.

"He said, 'Son, I think I'm really going to die'. I said, 'You're joking'. He said, 'I think I'm really going to die'. I said, 'no, no, no, you're joking'," Rihane told the broadcaster. "And at the moment that we were filming the scene, he was dying... the angel of death was there with me."

Bradford Anderson and Emily Wilson to visit 'General Hospital'
A show rep had no comment, but it's likely that the return of Anderson (Spinelli) and Wilson (Ellie) will be a relatively brief one.

'24' ratings: Jack Bauer boosts Fox's Monday
Fox's 24: Live Another Day premiere delivered 8 million viewers and a 2.5 rating among adults 18-49. The two-hour telecast is down 29 percent from the debut of the final season of 24 back in 2010. For a show that’s been off the air for four years while broadcast ratings have plummeted, that’s not a bad drop at all. The premiere was the third-highest rated show Monday night, following The Voice (3.0) and The Blacklist (2.7).

Sunday Night Ratings: 'Revenge', "Resurrection' Up

Resurrection was up 5% over last week and 11% over Revenge in the
same time slot last year.

The Sunday night Nielsen Fast Affiliate Ratings are in. Check out a round of network reports below:

From ABC:
ABC Sunday Prime (7-11 p.m. - 6.4 million and 1.7/5 in AD18-49): ABC won its 2nd consecutive Sunday of the May Sweep in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5). ABC's Once Upon a Time and Resurrection once again finished as Sunday's Top 2 broadcast dramas with young adults.

· Posting its 2nd week of year-to-year gains, ABC was the only broadcaster up from the year-ago May Sweep Sunday (5.8 million and 1.6/5 on 5/5/13) in 10% in Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%).

Sunday Night Ratings: 'Believe' Up, 'Once Upon A Time' Hits New Low

The Sunday, April 20 overnight ratings are in. Check out what CBS, ABC and NBC had to say below:

From CBS:
THE GOOD WIFE was Sunday's #1 program in viewers, as CBS swept the night in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sunday, April 20.

At 7:00 PM, 60 MINUTES SPECIAL (S) was first in viewers (8.80m), adults 25-54 (1.6/05) and adults 18-49 (1.1/04).

At 8:00 PM, THE AMAZING RACE SPECIAL (S) was first in viewers (7.62m) and adults 25-54 (2.3/06), and was second in adults 18-49 (1.6/05).

At 9:00 PM, THE GOOD WIFE SPECIAL (S) was first in viewers (9.08m) and adults 25-54 (2.0/05), and was tied for first in adults 18-49 (1.4/04, with FOX). THE GOOD WIFE SPECIAL was Sunday's #1 program in viewers.

CRISIS Preview: As The Mystery Unravels, The CIA Is Breached

Martha Byrne makes her CRISIS debut tonight. Photo Credit: NBC

The first season of CRISIS continues with a new episode ("We Were Supposed To Help Each Other") on Sunday, April 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. AS THE WORLD TURNS Emmy winner Martha Byrne makes her debut as Marie Wirth.

As Finley (Lance Gross) and Dunn (Rachael Taylor) continue to look into the backgrounds of the parents, three of the parents (including Byrne) are tasked with using their influence to steal a key piece of the mastermind's puzzle from the CIA.

Meanwhile, Meg (Gillian Anderson) deals with the aftermath of her actions.

At the mansion, Amber (Halston Sage) deals with the unwanted attention of one of her captors while Beth Anne (Stevie Lynn Jones) and Kyle (Adam Miller) start to get closer.

Watch a sneak peek video below:

CRISIS Preview: Emotions Run High as the Parents Become Pawns in the Mastermind's Vengeful Plot

Lance Gross as Agent Marcus Finley, Michael Beach as FBI
Director Olsen, Rachael Taylor as Agent Susie Dunn. Photo
Credit: Chuck Hodes/NBC

The first season of CRISIS continues with a new episode ("If You Are Watching This I Am Dead") on Sunday, March 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

After a mysterious phone call, Meg Fitch (Gillian Anderson) must collect a large sum of cash in order to get her daughter Amber (Halston Sage) back safely.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani Ambassador is tasked with doing the unthinkable to get his son back.

Elsewhere, Dunn (Rachael Taylor) and Finley (Lance Gross) begin working together to track down the whereabouts of a missing secret service agent and uncover a surprising secret.

Sunday Night Ratings: RESURRECTION Remains Strong, Solid Start for CRISIS

Photo Credit: Vivian Zink/NBC

The Sunday night Nielsen overnight ratings are in. Check out a round of reports below:

From NBC:
The premiere of CRISIS (1.6/4 in 18-49 and 6.5 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) finished within a tenth of a rating point of #1 in 18-49 among ABC, CBS and NBC in the time period, nearly erasing a deficit of 1.6 rating points behind ABC during the prior hour, and won the 10 p.m. ET slot among those nets in adults 25-54, men 18-49 and men 25-54. CRISIS built on its 18-49 lead-in by 14%, while rival dramas on ABC and CBS are flat or down versus their lead-ins. Versus NBC’s non-sports averages in the time period last year, CRISIS is running within 0.2 of a point in 18-49 (1.6 vs. 1.8, L+SD) and in total viewers is up versus last season’s non-sports slot average by 20% (6.506 million vs. 5.424 million).

Martha Byrne Featured in CRISIS "What Would You Do to Save Your Child?" Promo

Photo Credit: NBC

CRISIS premieres on NBC on Sunday, March 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. NBC is promoting the show, which stars Gillian Anderson and Dermot Mulroney, as "the most emotionally charged action thriller of the season."

The series examines to what extremes elite and influential Washington, D.C., parents will go to when their children are put in jeopardy by a man who is out for revenge. Longtime AS THE WORLD TURNS actress Martha Byrne (Lily/Rose) joins the cast beginning with the April 6 episode. She plays Marie Wirth, the mother of one of the kidnap victims.

"To be a part of a show from it's inception is extremely exciting," Byrne says of her new role. "I was very fortunate to work with Lance Gross and Rachel Taylor who were fantastic. CRISIS is filled with intrigue and suspense but watching what the parents of these children go through is heart wrenching and painful which makes for good drama. It's a great role."

Check out the latest promo for CRISIS below featuring Byrne:

NEWS: Eileen Davidson Back at Work on DAYS OF OUR LIVES; Martha Byrne in CRISIS; New Irish Soap Opera; Aaron Paul Hosts WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Former EASTENDERS executive producer John Yorke to head up new Irish soap for TV3
The Company Pictures and Element Pictures will begin filming this summer, with production expected to take place at TV3's HD studio in Dublin.

Eileen Davidson back at work on the set of DAYS OF OUR LIVES
After eight months away from Salem, Eileen Davidson (Kristen) reported back to the DAYS set on Monday.

Martha Byrne previews her role in NBC's upcoming drama CRISIS
CRISIS centers on students kidnapped from an elite Washington, D.C., school. Byrne plays Marie Wirth, the mother of a victim.

“I’m most excited about that role because it gives me the opportunity to show a broad spectrum of emotions. The whole premise is, what would you do to save your child?” As a soap opera actress, she says, “I got used to kidnappings and all these horrible things happening.”

BELIEVE Debuts March 10 on NBC, CRISIS on March 16

NBC has announced premiere dates for five of its upcoming midseason series - comedies ABOUT A BOY and GROWING UP FISHER, dramas BELIEVE and CRISIS, and alternative program AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS.

Created for television by Jason Katims (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, PARENTHOOD), ABOUT A BOY - based on the best-selling Nick Hornby novel - will premiere in its regular time period Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT leading out of THE VOICE. A few days earlier, however, the first episode of the show will preview in primetime during the Olympics on Friday, Feb. 21 (10:30 p.m.) immediately following NBC's coverage of the Winter Games from Sochi, Russia that night.

NEWS: Michael Graziadei Joins THE LOTTERY; DAYS Makeup Tips; Wes Ramsey Cast as Male Lead in DELIVERANCE CREEK; The Hoff 'Sings'

Cher Guest Judges, Brant Daugherty Eliminated on DANCING WITH THE STARS
The Grammy-winning artist seemed to be a fan of Brant Daugherty's "The Shoop Shoop Song" performance with dancing pro partner Peta Murgatroyd, commenting, "You two had two smiles that went together." Unfortunately, the 28-year-old DAYS OF OUR LIVES and PRETTY LITTLE LIARS actor's smile disappeared soon after when he was eliminated Monday.

How to Get Airbrushed, Soap Opera Skin—And Other Tips From the Set of DAYS OF OUR LIVES
"When we filmed on videotape, there was a lot of plastered pancake makeup going on—not to mention the effect of the '80s and '90s," the show's lead makeup artist, Deidre Decker, told Allure magazine. "Now that we shoot in HD, we are trying to lean toward less makeup. I apply base as lightly and sparingly as possible, and I highlight and contour for a natural look."

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS alum Michael Graziadei joins Lifetime's THE LOTTERY
Graziadei (ex-Daniel, Y&R), Lesley-Ann Brandt and Louise Lombard have been cast in Lifetime's dystopian future drama pilot THE LOTTERY. The Warner Horizon-produced conspiracy thriller is set in a world where women have stopped having children threatening extinction of the human race. When 100 embryos are successfully fertilized, a national lottery is held to decide the surrogates. Graziadei, repped by Gersh and Main Title, will play Kyle, a recovering alcoholic and single father of one of the last children born in the country.

NEWS: Deidre Hall Stresses Vision Care; Martha Byrne Joins CRISIS; Howard Overby to B&B; Joyce Jacobs & Jon Mercedes Have Passed Away

Soap opera star Joyce Jacobs dies
Jacobs, the character actor who played Esme Watson in the long-running Australian family drama A COUNTRY PRACTICE, has died at the age of 91.

Personal Manager Jon Mercedes Dies at 65
Mercedes, a personal manager, publicist, producer, writer and film executive, died Monday at his Hollywood home from colon cancer. He was 65.

In 1978, Mercedes founded Mercedes/Cohen Management and United Public Relations, and two years later launched The Mercedes Co. His clients included Charlene Tilton (DALLAS), Claudia Lonow (KNOTS LANDING), Susan Richardson, Tracey Bregman (DAYS OF OUR LIVES, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) and Jimmy Baio (SOAP).