Congratulations are in order for General Hospital and Days of Our Lives favorite Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny and ex-Stefan/Jake, respectively) and his wife, Isabella Devoto Barash, who welcomed their newborn son, Sebastian Antonio Barash back on June 5.

For the first time his Sebastian’s birth the couple is posting and beaming with pride at the new addition to the family. This is Brandon and Isabella’s second child and second son together following the birth of Joaquin Lee Barash back in September of 2023. Barash is also the father of Harper Rose Barash from his previous marriage to General Hospital star, Kirsten Storms (Maxie) who is now 12-years-old and big sister to do younger brothers!

In his heartfelt post on Instagram accompanied by several photos of his growing family, Brandon expressed, “The heart is indeed a muscle, and boy, can it stretch. We welcomed our newest addition Sebastian Antonio Barash (Antonio after Isa’s dad) on 6.5.26. Lil Seba, I vow to love you with undying ferocity and without condition. As for our new family of five, we have all already evolved for the better as we rise like the lotus through the muck of sleepless nights, soul-tingling baby whimpers, and yes, poopy diapers. These babies teach us a clinic on love…all we need to do is saddle up, be still, and take em in. Isabella Barash, you’re my hero. Thank you for the gift of your love. House is full, hearts fuller.”

Photo: BBarashIG

BRANDON’S BUDDIES CONGRATULATE HIM ON WELCOMING NEW SON

Several of Brandon’s former co-stars have already jumped in the commenting thread including, Rob Scott Wilson (Alex, DAYS) “Congrats my brotha!!,” Dan Feuerriegel (EJ, DAYD) and Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS), with whom Brandon appears with in the Day Players Band and more.

Back in April of this year, Brandon was granted an emergency restraining order against his ex-wife, Kirsten Storms claiming that the GH favorite was exhibiting concerning behavior and he feared for the well-being of their daughter, Harper. They each now live separate lives in Tennessee.

We send our well-wishes to Brandon, Isabella and their new son, Sebastian as they build their burgeoning family unit.

Take a look at Brandon and Isabella’s new little bundle of joy in the snaps below.

Now, share your congratulations to Brandon and Isabella  via the comment section!

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Daytime Emmy winner, Eric Martsolf talks about how he learned he was cast as Brady Black on Days of Our Lives on an all-new episode of Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart dropping Tuesday, June 16. Martsolf, who is the special guest, related how he was out of a job following the end of his run as Passions’ Ethan Crane when the NBC soap was canceled in 2008.

In addition, Eric shares a heartbreaking and memorable conversation with the late Drake Hogestyn (John Black), who at the time was in the throes of chemotherapy following his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Ahead of the premiere of this heartfelt conversation, Michael Fairman TV is giving you an exclusive preview with two clips from Martsolf’s visit to the CBS podcast.

First, Eric recounted how he and his wife Lisa had recently welcomed twin boys, bought a house, and he did not know if he would find a way quick enough to support the family. Eric had already learned the part he read for at Days of Our Lives, he didn’t get. However, little did he know, that he was about to instead become the recast Brady Black, previously played by Kyle Lowder.

Photo: JPI

THE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

“I had my kids in their double-stroller in Porter Ranch, wondering how I’m going to pay for this house? Marnie Saitta (casting director, Days of Our Lives) calls me up, ‘Eric, can you get your butt to the studio right now?’ I’m like, ‘Why? I didn’t get the job.’ She’s like, ‘Well, maybe you got a job. They want you for Brady Black. They want to bring back this character. He’s been off the canvas for about three years.’ I said, ‘Marnie, Oh, my God! That is such great news. I have my kids, and my wife’s out of town.’ She’s like, ‘Bring your kids. Drop ’em off at my office!’ I dropped the boys off at her office, went and met with Gary Tomlin (former co-executive producer, DAYS), and he said, ‘You’re Brady now. Here’s your backstory. Welcome to the show.'”

Eric continued, “I went back to Marnie’s and I knocked on the door and they’re my kids. One has the Apple remote in his hand or whatever hitting it against the desk, the other one’s playing with the keyboard. Marnie says, ‘Congratulations, get your kids out of my office now.” I was like, ‘I’m so sorry. I love you. Just send me the bill for the damage.’ Eventually, my wife Lisa came home. I said, ‘I’m on DAYS now.’ We cried and we hugged, and I’ve been with DAYS ever since.”

THE HEARTBREAKING MOMENT WITH DRAKE HOGESTYN

The Days of Our Lives family lost one of its most beloved members when Drake Hogestyn who played John Black for 38 years passed away from pancreatic cancer on September 28, 2024. It wasn’t until June of 2025, that DAYS viewers saw the story play out where John succumbed to internal injuries sustained in an explosion saving the experimental serum to bring Bo Brady back to life. It was John’s final mission.

During his visit to Soapy, Eric Martsolf was asked to share one of his greatest memories of working with Drake as his TV son. In an emotional moment, Martsolf recalled trying to tape a scene with Drake when he clearly was feeling the effects of the chemotherapy he was undergoing at the time, while he tried to soldier on as Drake was known to do.

Photo: JPI

“Not to get too sentimental, but I think it was one of the last scenes we did together. We were in the interrogation room at the Salem PD. John is talking to Brady about something and he had to stop tape because he was on chemo and he would have to excuse himself from the set, come back, gather himself, and just go right back into the scene. You could tell he was really struggling. He didn’t talk to me much about what was going on. I heard through the grapevine what was wrong with him. I just looked at him and I went, ‘How you doing?’ We had a five minute break, and he said, ‘I’m just on a journey. It’s going to be good. It’s going to be fine.’ That just broke my heart. He still wanted to keep telling the story even though his body wasn’t letting him. Drake never complained, never bitched.”

Martsolf added, “My memory of Drake is just a man of fortitude, and a man that was a storyteller until the end that just wanted to keep doing his job. He gave Ken Corday (executive producer, Days of Our Lives) his blessing to film John Black’s funeral while he was still on this planet. Ken said to him, ‘Are you sure?’ Drake was like, ‘Tell the story.’ That’s a man. That’s a guy who is dedicated to what he had been doing for the last 40, 50 years.”

Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart features weekly lively and often nostalgic conversations with beloved past and present stars and creatives from across the entire soap opera community and all networks and platforms, including daytime and primetime. Whether a lifelong fan or discovering the genre for the first time, the series shares that it, “offers a fresh, fun behind-the-scenes look at the stories – and storytellers – that define daytime drama.”

Episodes from the audio/video podcast series are available for free via Audacy and the CBS brand You Tube Channel. The podcast is produced by the Paramount Multiplatform Production Group, with Mike Benson serving as executive producer.

Take a look at these exclusive previews below with Eric Martsolf.

Now let us know, were you touched by Eric’s memories of Drake struggling to work as he battled cancer? What did you think of Eric’s casting story of how he became the new Brady Black? Have you enjoyed Eric’s performance over the last 18 years in the role? Weigh-in via the comment section.

Sheri Anderson, the three-time Emmy-winning soap opera writer is set to be the special guest on Thursday, June 11 beginning at 7pm ET/4pm ET for a livestream chat on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.

The veteran soap opera writer has previously been the co-head writer at Days of Our Lives along with an impressive list of writing credits and tenures at: General Hospital, Santa Barbara, Guiding Light, Another World and primetime’s Falcon Crest.

Throughout her decades long career, Sheri has been involved in every aspect of the writing process including long-term storyline, daily episode breakdowns, dialogue writing and editing and more. She is widely recognized as one of the creative forces behind the high romance era of soap opera super couples in the 1980s.

Photo: JPI

ARE SOAP MORE RELEVANT IN 2026?

With the daytime soaps being mentioned in the mainstream of late, including a recent New York Times essay, Ryan Gosling’s high praise of Days of Our Lives icon Deidre Hall (Marlena), Late night host, John Oliver asking to be cast on a soap after doing a bit on his show, it seems daytime drama may be culturally relevant again, or is it really?

During the chat not only will we get Sheri’s takes on all the series she wrote for, but also ask, “Why soaps? Why now?” Why are audiences rediscovering/missing emotionally-connected storytelling? What did our genre provide viewers emotionally? And what has current programming gained technically but lost emotionally?

Join us with your comments and questions for Sheri in the live chat, as we talk the pros and cons of today’s daytime soap opera and daytime television landscape and delve into Sheri’s soap writing history and the characters she created or had a penchant for and learn about her new endeavors and outside projects.

Photos: JPI

If you are unable to make it to the live chat, but have a question or comment for Sheri that you would like us to ask on the broadcast, please drop it in the comment section below and we just might pose it on-air.

For upcoming celebrity features, livestreams and special event coverage, make sure to subscribe to the Michael Fairman Channel.

So, did you enjoy Sheri’s writing for Days of Our Lives and the other soaps she’s credited for? What do you think of the current state of the soap opera? Healthier than its been in awhile? Costing along? Relevant or not socially relevant in mainstream culture in 2026? Weigh-in and share your thoughts via the comment section below.