As I first reported last week on tvinsider.com, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor have been named co-head writers of The Young and the Restless, replacing Josh Griffith, who announced last month that he was stepping down as head writer.

Jamey is the co-founder of Daytime Confidential and created the primetime drama Ambitions with Will Packer, before joining the writing teams of Days of our Lives and Beyond the Gates. Dan’s daytime career began at One Life to Live, where he worked as a writers’ associate. After that soap’s cancellation, he moved to General Hospital in 2013, serving as associate head writer, breakdown writer and most recently, co-head writer. He also wrote for Days. Both have won Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild of America Awards.

A new creative vision is always a shot in the arm for a soap, an I’m eager to see what they bring to Genoa City. Jamey has a long history with Y&R, which gives him a strong foundation to build from. I also know there’s a vocal contingent of viewers who have been hoping for a return to more traditional storytelling, with the show’s veterans playing a bigger role. I’ll be interesting to see where Jamey and Dan take the canvas in the months ahead and I congratulate them both on this exciting new chapter.

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Last Monday, shortly after this newsletter landed in your inbox, I broke the news that Days of our Lives will welcome back four fan favorites in 2027. Christie Clark (Carrie), Bryan R. Dattilo (Lucas), Chandler Massey (Will) and Alison Sweeney (Sami) have all returned to the Burbank studios to film episodes set to air next June.

For Ali and Christie, who first worked together in 1993, reuniting on camera was especially meaningful, and Ali teases that the story ahead will be rewarding for longtime fans. “I think it's going to be very satisfying to see us in scenes together,” she told me last week. “I felt like when I read it, it was a page-turner. I was very excited, and I do think that there’s a lot of history here, and a lot of things that haven’t been said. So it’s really not like, ‘Oh, rehashing stuff.’ It’s not. I think it's going to be really fun, and and now having played some of the scenes, I’m psyched.”

Congratulations to Billy Flynn (Cane, Y&R), who welcomed a daughter in May with wife, Gina Comparetto. The couple, who married in October 2016, are also parents to two sons.

Camryn Grimes returns to The Young and the Restless as Mariah on Monday, August 3.

Michael Damian will be back on Y&R this week as Danny takes an interest in The Shadow Room.

Naomi Matsuda airs again as B&B’s Li on Monday, August 3 and Friday, August 7.

Lonnie Henderson appears as Lonnie, a Forrester stylist on B&B, on Tuesday, August 4.

Delon de Metz is back as Zende on B&B on Wednesday, August 5.

Christian Howard, who filled in for Nathan Dean as GH’s Ethan, has wrapped his brief run.

Newsletter-exclusive highlights from my recent interviews.  

Brandon Claybon (Martin, Beyond the Gates) has been delighted by the outpouring of support he’s received from fans of daytime’s newest soap.

“I've been traveling the U.S. the past year,” he told me when I visited the set. “I could be in Texas, I could be in New York, I could be in Miami, I could be in Nevada, and they just pour so much love into me, just thanking us for what we do, and I think that means the most to me. Outside of the nominations and the acclaim that we get in the press, it’s about touching people. It’s about representation and people feeling seen and heard and knowing that no matter what class you're in, people are just dealing with life in general. So the success for me is the fans.”

Among the many fan interactions he’s experienced, his very first one remains memorable. “I was in New York and eating with the stage manager, and we were sitting outside on the little patio,” he relayed. “A woman walked by, and she turned around, and I could see her out of my peripheral, but I was thinking she was waving someone else down. So, she started waving and I looked behind me in the restaurant, and she's like, ‘No, you. I watch you every single day.’ She stopped her husband, and she was like, ‘Honey, come. He plays Martin.’ I said, ‘Hi, I’m Brandon,’ and she said, ‘I know, I know. Can I get a picture?’ And then she said, ‘I met Richard Gere once, but this is bigger than that.’ We actually have video as well because the stage manager, she was like, ‘I got to record this.’ So that was pretty awesome.”

Kelly Kruger (Serena, GH) has built a thriving career as a beauty influencer on social media, and it all began with a simple goal: finding a way to give back.

“In 2014, I was auditioning a lot, and I had battled with acne for years,” she told me. “I’ve always been really into health and wellness, and I had literally tried every skincare product on the market to help battle my acne. I felt like I could be a chemist from all the things I learned about ingredients and what does what, and how the body works, so I was like, ‘Let me start a blog where I can connect with my fans.’ Soap fans are unlike any other — they’re loyal, they stand by you — and I had this beautiful following from being on Young and Restless [as Mackenzie] and then Bold and Beautiful [as Eva], so I wanted a place where I could share what I knew.’

At the time, it wasn’t a traditional path. “I got made fun of a lot because it was very uncool for an actor to be talking about beauty products at that time,” she explained. “You were either one or the other. Influencers were a very new thing, and posting products on social media was very cheesy if you were an actor. But I wanted to connect with the audience, and if I could help one person, then I did my job.”

That passion eventually led to a beauty column in Soap Opera Digest, before she found her biggest success on TikTok, where she was ultimately named Beauty Creator of the Year in June 2025. “I started doing TikTok shop and I started going insanely viral, because nobody was really doing it at that time,” Kelly recalled. “And I thought, ‘Holy crap, I could be my own boss and make my own schedule and be creative every day and be with my kids?’ I put everything I had into content creation.”

Giving back remains at the heart of everything she goes. “I grew up below poverty, not being able to afford a lot of things that my friends were able to afford,” she revealed. “And what I do on TikTok is I go to all my really expensive prestige beauty brands, and I say, ‘Give me the absolute best deals.’ And when I’m Live, I’m giving heavy, heavy discounts to people who wouldn’t necessarily have the ability to walk into a store or just go online and buy some of these amazing products at full price.”

Although her attention had shifted largely to social media, Kelly couldn’t resist the opportunity when GH came calling. “I always wanted to work on GH,” she added. “It was such a huge, full-circle moment for me. I felt like it was a big meant to be moment and it was almost the universe’s way of saying, ‘This is the right move and you’re gonna be able to handle it all and you’re gonna be able to do it all.’ It’s very special to me.”

Beyond the Gates: Was anything better than Anita’s first-round-of-radiation dance party? I couldn’t have loved it more. Noah fanboying over Anita, though, was a close second. She is a big star and people should have that reaction meeting her for the first time…. Ted and Shanice’s “I love you” making the rounds throughout the hospital, however, felt awkward and a little too high school…. Vanessa’s first scenes with Heather were terrific, and I’m already looking forward to seeing more of that dynamic…. I love anytime Kat gets to embrace her inner Nancy Drew. Watching the cousins work together to uncover what’s really going on with Hayley and Lynette is a mystery I can’t wait to see them solve…. Anastasia continues to be delightful comic relief. Her exchange with Kial had me smiling.

The Bold and the Beautiful: The Steffy/Hope showdown had been building for weeks, and it delivered. Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy) and Annika Noelle (Hope) brought everything to a fabulous set of scenes…. Dylan really doesn’t seem too concerned about hanging onto her job at Forrester, casually strolling in late after her night with Will. And her scenes with Electra — where she seemed equally unconcerned about hurting her supposed pal — undermined every “you’re my best friend” moment that came before. I get that Electra dumped Will, but Dylan moving in on him so quickly doesn’t exactly give her the moral high ground. Finally, why did Dylan give Wyatt a fake name if she was just going to tell everyone about her night with Will anyway? Nevertheless, I think Sydney Bullock is a fantastic find as Dylan and she has fit into the canvas so seamlessly…. The Spencer humor in Wyatt and Will’s scenes was a highlight. More comedy for Darin Brooks (Wyatt), please.

Days of our Lives: Bravo to Xander and Brady for figuring out EJ’s Coriseal machinations… So, Lexie came back in March, and by late July, she was suddenly going to go visit Celeste in South Africa — but it was all a ruse, meaning she never intended to see her mom now that she was back from the dead? Oh, okay. And good for Paulina for pointing out to Abe and Theo how strange Lexie’s plan sounded, especially her insistence on going alone. I love when characters are smart…. It’s hard to feel for Joy in this custody story involving Alex. (Maybe we’re not supposed to.) That said, I’m very invested in this story because I think AlexAnn Hopkins (Joy) is a real asset to the cast and I’m so glad the show brought her back…. Yes to Kristen ruefully pointing out to EJ that Stefano wouldn’t be proud of either of them.

General Hospital: Finally! Drew not only survived being pushed into the lake, but he can walk! His scenes with Willow were months in the making and more than worth the wait. I’m here for Revenge Drew. Felicia and Liz’s reaction to seeing him up and about were great, as was Drew’s subsequent meet-up with Ava at the Metro Court pool. But wow, Drew must have had one strict diet and physical therapy regimen to spend months in a wheelchair and emerge looking ready for a bodybuilding contest. I also loved him warning Brook Lynn that Willow is after Chase…. Serena’s return should give Lynn Herring (Lucy) more to do, and I’m looking forward to that.... Sonny playing peacemaker between Jason and Ric was an amusing moment…. Looks like Joe continues to have good instincts, because he immediately picked up on the growing dynamic between Liz and Dante…. Jason and Anna’s catchup was excellent.

Young and Restless: Nikki’s standalone episode was pretty wild, but what was even crazier was hearing Three Blind Mice playing on the piano. It was quite the nightmare, indeed. But I had tears in my eyes when Nikki began getting her vision back and saw Victor. Melody Thomas Scott was so good throughout this entire story. She’ll certainly have a strong Daytime Emmy reel next year…. Speaking of Victor, I liked when he summoned Adam, Chelsea and Victoria to the ranch to get updates on the return of Newman Media. It was also true to form that he and Victoria were suspicious of Adam and Chelsea’s claim that Sally did it without getting something in return…. I am so invested in Lily and Cane 2.0. Their chemistry is cracking.... How great does Melissa Claire Egan’s (Chelsea) new blonde hair look? It’s fantastic!

MONDAY, AUGUST 3

Beyond the Gates: Bill confides in an unlikely ally; Kat spies on Randy; Hayley surprises Chelsea and Naomi; Dani and Vanessa compare notes with Anita; and Mona hustles Joey.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Finn turns to Li for guidance, and Electra and Will reach a heartbreaking impasse.

Days of our Lives: Matchmaking Philip traps Sarah and Xander together; EJ’s plan for Kristen goes sideways; Rafe prepares to bring down EJ once and for all; and Belle and Chad have to put their Italy plans on hold.

General Hospital: Jason makes a sacrifice for Danny; Elizabeth becomes privy to a secret; Carly is touched; Valentin has a warning for Nina; and Josslyn cautions Brennan.

The Young and the Restless: Victor and Nikki reach an understanding about their future; Sharon helps Noah with a tough decision; and Mariah returns home.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4

Beyond the Gates: Naomi snoops; Chelsea gathers intel from Caroline; Kat tries to enlist Tomas for help; Kial surprises Nicole; and Leslie gets to know Noah.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Carter tries to process Daphne’s diagnosis; Electra tries to move on from Will; and Dylan sets her sights on the Spencer family.

Days of our Lives: Sarah can’t shake her feelings for Xander; Brady seeks Marlena’s guidance; Javi fears the worst for Leo; and Leo finally finds Gwen.

General Hospital: Brook Lynn and Chase celebrate a milestone; Trina gets an earful; Carly’s plan backfires; Curtis is skeptical; and Michael is anxious about his family’s future.

The Young and the Restless: Victor gives Billy a painful reminder about his past; Victoria works to keep peace within her family; and Nick struggles with his sobriety.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5

Beyond the Gates: Leslie puts Nicole on blast in front of Carlton; Tyrell’s plan blows up in his face; Vernon meets with Izaiah; and Eva gets terrible news.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Katie and Dylan have an intense first encounter; Wyatt learns about Will’s mysterious overnight guest; and Steffy offers Carter a much-needed shoulder to lean on.

Days of our Lives: Lexie says goodbye; Theo opens up to Stephanie; Alex makes a heartfelt plea to Joy; Johnny hears disturbing news from EJ; and Paulina turns to Lani for help.

General Hospital: Sonny wants answers; Ava is struck with inspiration; Curtis’s trial begins; Brook Lynn wrestles with a big decision; and Lucy and Serena scheme.

The Young and the Restless: Victor and Nikki reaffirm their love for each other.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6

Beyond the Gates: Dani rattles Randy; Bill and Chelsea lock horns over Hayley; Leslie and Ted clash over Eva; Andre’s past catches up with him; and Nicole and Carlton come to a new understanding.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Bill encourages Will to look elsewhere for love, and Katie is suspicious about Dylan’s past.

Days of our Lives: Holly finally learns the truth; Brady and Steve hit another dead end; Kristen pays Rachel a secret visit; and Gabi takes satisfaction in EJ’s frustration.

General Hospital: Sonny makes a stunning announcement; Serena makes her move; Willow faces a new threat; Isaiah takes the stand; and Lucy questions Laura.

The Young and the Restless: Danny shares unexpected news with Cricket; Sally tries to strike a deal with Adam; and Billy and Cane put their differences aside for Jill.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7

Beyond the Gates: Hayley gets what she wants; Andre seeks Smitty’s help; Heather befriends Dani and Vanessa; and Nicole updates Kial about a change she’d like to make in their relationship.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Steffy is hopeful after arriving in Monaco; Finn experiences unexpected turbulence; and Deacon prepares to take his relationship to the next level.

Days of our Lives: Javi refuses to back down; Leo and Gwen make a desperate move; Titan’s future hangs in the balance; Alex supports Joy when she receives devastating news; and Stephanie confides in Kayla.

General Hospital: Josslyn is taken aback; Ava courts a new ally; Jordan and Anna catch up; Isaiah vents to Lucas and Elizabeth; and Michael questions Jacinda.

The Young and the Restless: Audra points Billy in the right direction; Victoria and Adam work together to help Nick; and Mariah meets Matt Clark.

Classic soap moments from this week in daytime.

August 3: After an 18-month absence, Eileen Fulton returned to the role of Lisa on As the World Turns in 1984.

August 4: Texas, the Another World spin-off featuring Beverlee McKinsey (AW’s Iris), premiered in 1980.

August 5: Kirsten Storms made her Days of our Lives debut as Belle in 1999.

August 6: GH’s Luke and Laura made the most of hiding out in Wyndham’s department store in 1980.

August 7: Passions aired its final episode on DirecTV in 2008.

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

Put your soap knowledge to the test!

This Week’s Question: Nikki and Victor are preparing to recommit themselves to each other on Y&R. Do you remember who Nikki married on August 3, 2012?

Think you know the answer? Email [email protected] with your guesses, and a winner will be revealed in next week’s edition!

Last Week’s Answer: Ted King premiered on two soaps during last week’s featured dates — Luis Alcazar, GH, 2002; Jack Finnegan, B&B, 2021. Congratulations to Nancy M., the first to respond with the correct answer!