Photo Credit: Lesley Bohm

Well, that Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell) certainly has been getting around these days! A steamy kiss with Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), hitting the sheets with her former husband and childhood sweetheart, Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian), and now this bit of news ala TV Guide!  Apparently, Christine will share an important kiss with another one of her exes, when she and Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) share a liplock on the upcoming November 16th episode of The Young and the Restless!

TVG spoke to Lauralee Bell for the scoop of how the kiss comes about, what this means for the romance of Paul and Nina, and Christine and Nina’s (Tricia Cast) friendship!  Plus, Bell weighs in on the recent transition of the new Y&R regime headed up by executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps and head writer, Josh Griffith, after the departure of her sister-in-law Maria Arena Bell!  And, what she thought about how Phyllis Newman’s  (Michelle Stafford) court case was wrapped up … where the gal got out of  spending time in the slammer! Here are a few excerpts below!

Lauralee on what triggers the kiss between Christine and Paul: “Christine has basically thrown Paul a lifeline by finding the evidence that saves him from going to jail. She’s freed him from this horrific chapter in his life and that’s what provokes the kiss. This isn’t some meaningless thing, though. Paul says, “I’m falling back in love with you.” And Christine says, “I’m falling back in love with you, too. I want to give this a shot.” Danny was the love of Cricket’s young life. But Paul is her adult love. It’s a serious, emotional reconnection. It could be a second chance for both of them. “

Lauralee on if Christine will seem like the villain here breaking up Nina and Paul:  “I think the audience understands that Paul has been through a long period of hell with his sister and his son and he’s just spent. Being with Chris helps center him. He can relax around her. A new relationship is work. As great as things may seem with Nina, there isn’t that same comfort level. Paul needs calm and Chris represents it. Even though he and Nina are technically together, Doug and I have always chosen to play it like there’s something heavily emotional whenever our characters are in the same room. I think maybe Jill Phelps and Josh Griffith looked at those scenes we had at the police station where Paul and Chris would cry and hug and they picked up on their really deep relationship. Doug’s so good at exploring his emotional side.”

Lauralee on how the Phyllis’ trial was wrapped up, and being asked to stay longer at Y&R per the request of Jill and Josh:  “I don’t know exactly how Maria was going to end it but I do know she planned to have Christine and Danny leave town together. I wasn’t supposed to remain on the show. Josh and Jill stopped me in the hall and said, “We’re thinking about not having you leave. Is that okay with you?” I thought that was so nice! A really lovely gesture. I am torn about the way the trial played out. No one wants to see Phyllis in an orange jumpsuit for months. They want to see her out raising hell. But I feel like Christine would have investigated the case so well that she’d never have lost. It made her seem so unqualified in her research.”

So soapers, what do you think about a rekindling of a Christine and Paul romance?  Would you like to see Nina turn bad and play the jilted girlfriend?  And, how do you feel about Phyllis not paying for her past crimes against Christine and Paul?  Weigh-in!