Now it can be told!

Back in January, I had the unique pleasure of traveling to Atlanta as the only print journalist invited to the set of Beyond the Gates for the filming of its upcoming crossover with The Young and the Restless. I watched scenes being taped, and had the chance to speak with actors involved in the landmark event.

The episodes officially begin airing this week, and they are absolutely must-see! The tornado, in particular, was an incredible stunt to witness in person.

For Y&R’s Susan Walters (Diane), Michael Mealor (Kyle) and Melissa Ordway (Abby), the experience was especially meaningful. All three are Atlanta natives, making the visit something of a homecoming.

I can’t say enough about how warm and welcoming the BTG cast was. Having previously “met” many of them via Zoom, Karla Mosley (Dani) joked that it was the first time she had seen my legs.

The studio itself is absolutely amazing! The wardrobe floor — with dedicated rooms for each character’s clothing, an atelier-like vibe, and an expansive fitting area — would likely make costume designers at other shows green with envy.

The sets are equally impressive: gorgeous, richly detailed and thoughtfully appointed. You could spend hours admiring touches such as Anita’s awards display in the Dupree home or the photos lining the booths at Orphey Gene’s. Just as striking was the atmosphere among the cast and crew — upbeat, collaborative and full of enthusiasm. It’s clear that everyone is super-proud to be part of the production (and should be!).

Be sure to check out the links to my stories at the bottom of the newsletter for a previews of what to expect when Genoa City comes to Fairmont Crest, and tune in this week so you don’t miss a moment of the action.

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Kelly Kruger has joined General Hospital as Serena Baldwin, which I reported exclusively earlier today on tvinsider.com.

“I am so excited to be joining the show!” Kelly told me. “It’s a literal dream come true to finally get to work with Frank Valentini [executive producer] and Mark Teschner [casting director] after all these years! Daytime has a very special place in my heart, and I have always wanted to work with the actors and writers on this show. I truly believe the level of talent and work they put out is the absolute best.”

For those who may not remember her backstory, Serena is the biological daughter of Scott Baldwin (Kin Shriner) and the late Dominique Stanton (Shell Danielson). Because Dominique was dying of an inoperable brain tumor, Serena was carried by surrogate Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring). Serena’s childhood traumas included multiple kidnappings and a bout of temporary blindness that required a corneal transplant.

The last time Serena was seen in Port Charles was 2017, when Carly Schroeder reprised the role she played a child, to join Scott and Lucy as they marked the death of Lee Baldwin, Scott’s father and Serena’s grandfather. In 2022, Scott referenced his daughter, explaining that he had to travel to the Faroe Islands, where Serena had been arrested after an altercation with dolphin hunters.

Kelly has a busy life outside of soaps. She has built a thriving social media presence as a content creator and become one of TikTok’s top beauty influencers. She was named TikTok Shop’s Beauty Creator of the Year in 2025. She is also the mother of daughters Everleigh, 6, and Gemma, 4, whom she shares with ex Darin Brooks (Wyatt, The Bold and the Beautiful).

Kelly begins taping on Monday, June 8, and will first air in July. “I’m honored and excited to be stepping into this role,” Kelly enthuses. “I cannot wait for the fans to meet Serena!”

Kirsten Storms (Maxie) addressed her on-screen absence from GH and more in a lengthy Instagram post. The actress, who took a six-month break in 2025 before returning to film at the soap this past January, indicated she won’t be back anytime soon. “Choosing to take time off from work (for my own personal reasons) was a ‘leap of faith’ kind of moment for myself,” she posted. “Seeking a ‘quality of life’ kind of thing? Moving to Tennessee, as a single mom who lives alone 50% of the time, with a newly discovered brain aneurysm…well, I don’t think I need to explain how upsetting this entire situation has been for me…. As for what my future, where GH is concerned…. Given what’s been going on, I can’t say I will feel comfortable hearing back to Los Angeles and returning to work. This has been an eye opening experience about the downside of my profession. My daughter is my entire life, she is (and always will be) my first priority.”

Gary James Fuller, who plays Maxie’s son James on GH, revealed on social media he was recently injured in an accident. “What started as a ride on my mini bike turned into a trip to the trauma center, two surgeries, and almost a week in the hospital. Definitely not how I planned to spend my week,” he posted. He added that he was recuperating at home and quipped, “from now on, I’m going to let James handle the ER storylines.”

Days of our Lives has officially made a change in its writing department. Ryan Quan, most recently a breakdown writer at GH, will join Jeanne Marie Ford as co-head writer beginning July 2026. Current co-head writer Paula Cwikly will transition into a consultant role. Ryan joined Days as a writer’s assistant in 2007, after a stint at Passions. He has held a variety of writing positions over his nearly two decades with the show, including co-head writer from 2016-17. “We are lucky to have Ryan back in the fold,” executive producer Ken Corday told TV Insider exclusively. “There are very few people who have such a deep knowledge of our show’s history. Stay tuned!”

Shemar Moore returns to The Young and the Restless as Malcolm on Monday, June 8. When I spoke to him in April, he said he would appear again down the road, explaining, “I’m going back to do this final chapter — I don’t know if it’s final — but from what I understand, we’re going to wrap up this little, crazy, pull your heartstrings storyline we came up with.”

Ashley Jones (Bridget, B&B) makes her Beyond the Gates debut on Monday, June 8.

French singer and actress Elsa Esnoult will return to The Bold and the Beautiful on Thursday, June 11 as Fanny Greyson. Fanny is seeking a fragrance partnership with Forrester Creations.

Dean Geyer has been cast on GH as a new character, Tristan Roberts. If the name sounds familiar, it’s intentional. The character is named for Tristan Rogers, also known as Aussie spy Robert Scorpio, who passed away on August 15, 2025. Geyer, who was born in South Africa and immigrated to Australia at age 15, began taping June 1 and will first air on July 13, which is also GH’s 16000th episode. He is known for his work on 9-1-1, Glee and Zoey 102.

Kayden Brenna Tokarski will make her GH debut as a recast Scout Cain in July. Scout is the daughter of Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) and the late Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco).

Alexander Elijah Bond and Autumn Gendron are back as Days’s Thomas and Charlotte on Friday, June 12.

Marc Forget marked his last day as GH’s Pascal on June 4. The actor was first seen as Sidwell’s (Carlo Rota) shady butler in July 2025.

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The Young and the Restless’s Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) has been experiencing headaches and this week, her vision begins to deteriorate.

This isn’t the first medical crisis Nikki has faced over the years, but Melody preferred not to know too many details about this one in advance. “Head Writer Josh Griffith shared with me that something exciting was coming up for Nikki, but I was unaware of the details/direction until I started reading the scripts,” Melody told me. “I’ve always preferred finding out about story as I’m learning the material rather than knowing the entire story arc in advance.” 

Once she discovered what Nikki’s diagnosis would be, Melody began doing research. “I’ve never played a character with this new diagnosis that Nikki will receive, so I spent more time than usual doing research and prepping,” she shared. “I wanted to make sure my portrayal of Nikki’s experience was as authentic as possible.”

With so much drama in Nikki’s life — from her fractured marriage to Victor to Nick’s overdose — she initially dismissed the warning signs. “The timing of Nikki’s headaches lines up with recent stress from her problems with Victor, along with Nicholas’s issues, so it’s easy for Nikki to attribute her headaches to these current events,” Melody explained. “Nikki has a full plate, so she initially brushes them off, thinking they are tension headaches. Unfortunately, Nikki’s condition will soon get progressively worse to the point where she will be forced to get medical attention.” 

As for Nikki’s marriage to Victor, Melody admitted that she never expected Jack’s attempt to help Nikki get sober in June 2024 would have such a lasting impact on their realtionship. “At the time, I had no idea that Nikki and Jack’s night ‘together’ in the hotel would result in two years of such rich storytelling, not only for Nikki and Victor, but also Victor and Jack, as well as Jack and Diane,” she marveled. “It’s given me so much to play and I couldn’t be happier that this story has such a long arc.” 

She added that navigating the ups and downs of the Newman marriage remains rewarding for her and Eric Braeden (Victor). “As much as Eric and I enjoy the romantic moments, we also savor the opportunity to play the not-so-happy times in the marriage,” she noted. “Our characters have so much rich history. We are able to tap into whatever emotion we need when we are given this type of material. The gift of working on the show as long as I have is that I am paired with a scene partner who I’ve worked with a very long time, so it gives me a sense of security/safety as an actor.” 

Beyond the Gates: I really appreciated the stand-alone episode showing how Hayley began her grift with Randy and wormed her way into the Hamilton family. It was great to finally get that origin story…. More Eva and Shanice scenes, please — and the same goes for Smitty and Kat. But that Kat/Jacob closeness better stay firmly in the realm of family friendship…. The show set the stage well for the crossover with Y&R, from Victor’s call to Vernon to Smitty warning Martin and Shonda not to seat Jack and Victor together at a table, given their legendary rivalry. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it all plays out this week.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Things are really shaping up over at Logan, and it’s great that Deke is on board, too. Why am I (not-so-) secretly rooting for them to take down Forrester Creations? I mean, I have nothing against FC, but this storyline has been written in a way that makes it hard not to hope for a shake-up…. Why was R.J. so smug when he fired Will? Will’s parting shots to R.J. — accurate as they were — would keep me up at night…. And wow, is Brooke being really harsh toward Katie. The Logan name belongs to both of them — and Donna — so enough with the “you stole my name.” That said, this charged dynamic between the sisters is completely engrossing.

Days of our Lives: I got chills when Marlena found the coin connected to John and later shared the story with Belle and Brady. I really appreciate when shows acknowledge major milestones, and John’s death absolutely deserved the screen time it received…. Marlena pulling no punches with Xander about the lawsuit against Johnny was a smart move business-wise, but a bit questionable from a therapist’s standpoint…. Julie and Foster’s date was so sweet! I love the idea of them being companions for each other — and that there’s still a chance for love at any age…. And bravo to Raven Bowens, who was excellent as Chanel navigated her cancer journey.

General Hospital: Was anything better than Brook Lynn putting Willow on notice about Chase? That said … come on, Chase! Hanging out with your ex in swimsuits and getting all touchy-feely is not a great look for a married man…. Obrecht telling a clueless Willow and Nina that Drew has been blinking SOS was absolutely fabulous…. Kudos to the show for actually using its outdoor space and staging a real car in a real parking lot first for Britt and Rocco’s departure and then for Pascal’s attempted escape — only for Sonny to go full Sound of Music on him (IYKYK)…. And I could genuinely watch Tracy, Lucy and Brook Lynn talk all day, and the way the show worked in Lynn Herring’s (Lucy) apparent real-life injury into the story as a pole dancing mishap was very amusing.

Young and Restless: I had hoped Nikki and Victor’s productive chat might lead to some kind of reconciliation, but when he told her to end her friendship to Jack, I was just as incredulous as she was. Still, those Victor/Phyllis scenes? So great! And honestly, so were Victor’s exchanges with Victoria after they reclaimed Newman, and with Nick when he confessed how hard it’s been to stay on the straight and narrow…. How fun was the banter between Cane and Lily? I’m fully on board for this pairing — Billy Flynn and Christel Khalil have serious chemistry…. Sharon stepping in to advocate for Phyllis with Daniel was a really nice touch…. Smart move to reuse the Shadow Room set. It was way too striking to leave boarded up for good.

MONDAY, JUNE 8

Beyond the Gates: The identity of The Impaler is revealed; Vanessa leans on Dani to help alleviate her anxiety; and Leslie is determined to secure and invitation to Martin’s upcoming fundraiser.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Will and Electra take their relationship to the next level; Brooke and Katie come to an understanding; and Liam asks Wyatt to permanently become part of the team at Logan.

Days of our Lives: Sarah asks Brady for help; Philip threatens Xander; EJ’s offer is refused; and Rolf examines Lexie.

General Hospital: Laura relishes her victory; Kristina issues a request; Curtis seeks Alexis’s help; and Kai worries about Trina.

The Young and the Restless: Victor determines Matt Clark’s fate; Lily makes Cane a surprising offer; and Malcolm returns home to Genoa City.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9

Beyond the Gates: Y&R’s Victor Newman touches down in Fairmont Crest; The Richardson-Smiths prepare for Martin’s fundraiser; Jacob locks horns with Elon at the station; and Leslie crashes Mona’s event.

The Bold and the Beautiful: R.J. and Dylan grown closer, and Bill and Katie look toward the future.

Days of our Lives: Joy comes between Alex and Stephanie; EJ warns Gwen; Javi asks Gabi for a favor; and Kristen and Xander bond.

General Hospital: “Nathan” makes a major confession; Portia’s baby shower is a tense affair; Willow is blindsided; and Sidwell is on the warpath.

The Young and the Restless: Malcolm and Stephanie settle unfinished business; Sharon keeps her distance from Matt Clark; and Noah hosts the opening of the new Shadow Room.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Beyond the Gates: Y&R’s Jack, Diane and Kyle Abbott, along with Devon and Abby, arrive at Martin’s fundraiser; Naomi convinces Ashley to join her at the club; a tornado strikes Fairmont Crest.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Dylan is apprehensive about jeopardizing her role at Forrester, and Hope and Deke host a mini in-house fashion preview.

Days of our Lives: Leo pleads for Gwen to be careful; Amy opens up to Melissa; Tate and Holly enjoy some romance; and Jada and Shawn grown closer.

General Hospital: Carly takes action; Trina makes a bold decision; Dante gets bad news; Willow received a tempting offer; and Curtis and Portia clash.

The Young and the Restless: Christine sees Danny in a new light; Victoria and Kyle call a true; and Sienna stands her ground with Audra.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11

Beyond the Gates: The country club takes a direct hit from the tornado; Bill and Dani need to rely on each other while Eva and Kat are forced to work together; and Hayley ends up in close proximity to someone surprising.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge wonders if there’s a new woman in R.J.’s life; Hope gets disappointing news; and Fanny Greyson makes a return to Los Angeles.

Days of our Lives: Paulina takes extreme action for Chanel; Theo supports Johnny; EJ and Xander spar; Kate comes clean to Roman; and Sarah surprises Holly and Ari with a special gift.

General Hospital: Valentin cautions Carly; Sonny is taken by surprise; Cody scores points with Molly; and Danny and Charlotte make a plan.

The Young and the Restless: Victor makes a shocking business decision; Nikki supports Nick with his sobriety; and Stephanie shares a secret with Nate.

FRIDAY, JUNE 12

Beyond the Gates: Joey’s actions earn him favor with a VIP; Ted deals with multiple crises; the drastic measures on duo takes has extreme consequences; and Anita spies something peculiar and then issues a warning.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Remy learns surprising information, and Steffy demands answers from Katie.

Days of our Lives: Steve and Kayla support Stephanie; Alex tries to reason with Joy; Cat lies to EJ; and Chad and Belle take Thomas and Charlotte to a baseball game.

General Hospital: Ethan weighs his options; Tracy has harsh words for Willow; Brook Lynn seeks Sonny’s aid; Chase makes a high-profile arrest; and Alexis is persuasive.

The Young and the Restless: Victor questions Nikki about her health issues; Phyllis reaches out to Summer; and Adam keeps tabs on Matt Clark.

Check out these recent articles I’ve written for tvinsider.com and swooon.com