News
ATWT Favorite Colleen Zenk on Being Cast as Y&R’s Aunt Jordan: “Josh (Griffith) Was Around During the Evil Barbara Days So He Knew What I Was Capable Of”
Last Friday, the soap universe was more than thrilled to see none other than As the World Turns long-running star, Colleen Zenk (ex-Barbara Ryan),now playing the evil Aunt Jordan on The Young and the Restless.
In story, it was revealed that Aunt Jordan appears to be pulling the strings to get Claire (Hayley Erin) to help her do her bidding in the revenge plot against Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) and the Newman clan.
It has been a minute since Zenk appeared on a daytime soap opera after the heartbreaking cancellation of As the World Turns which aired its final episode back in September of 2010. In the series finale, Barbara reunited with Henry Coleman (Trent Dawon) and it looked like she found love again as we faded the action in Oakdale.

Photo: JPI
Now in 2023, Zenk’s arrival in Genoa City was a major surprised and kept well under wraps by the CBS soap opera. In an interview with Soap Opera Digest in which she talked on being cast as Aunt Jordan, Colleen shared that Y&R’s executive producer and head writer, Josh Griffith, was very well-versed on her work, as he had written for her a few times when he was at ATWT.
Colleen expressed: “Josh wrote off and on for ‘World Turns’, so I felt the offer would not have been made to me if he didn’t trust that I could bring to the role what he wanted.” The veteran actress added, “Josh was around during the evil Barbara days so he knew what I was capable.”

Photo: JPI
As far as getting into the skin of nasty Aunt Jordan, Zenk related: “Jordan is pretty intense. I’ve been playing her for five-and-a-half weeks, so I’ve been finding my way along with her and getting back into a rhythm of working in daytime. I think the writers have done such a terrific job in just developing her psyche. I’ve played bad characters in a lot of different theater things as well, so I know how to navigate and make sure that such a character doesn’t come off like a cartoon villain.”
So, are you enjoying seeing Colleen back on daytime and as Y&R’s Aunt Jordan? Comment below.
Hoping this is a meaningful viable character, not just a plot device. I would like a valued respected actor as Ms. Zenk to be allowed a lasting, suspenseful, creative storyline. Some comebacks of late have disappointed or seemed unnecessary. Ms. Zenk will add some much needed life to the story, but only if we have some solid story!
I have a feeling that Jordan is somehow related to Eve Howard, and that Claire is really Cole and Victoria’s presumed-dead daughter. It would make sense since J. Eddie Peck is returning, but that doesn’t explain why Jordan has an axe to grind with the Newman’s, unless she’s secretly someone else and has an entangled past with them.
It’s been 30 years since Eve’s death, and over 40 since the fabulous story where Eve and her fiancee Max tried to kill Victor, and I’ve never forgotten how well done that story was. If Jordan is indeed related to Eve, I hope they do a story that makes since. When Eve came back, she was whitewashed, but Margaret Mason still made her quite commanding.
Well darlin I am glad he can write for you but can’t seem to write for twenty five year vets. Personally I’m all in for the Newmans being destroyed bored with them for years
You probably shouldn’t be watching then if you feel that way. I could never understand how snyobe can criticize but still watch something or people they gate so much. Kind of sadistic if you ask me….darlin.
Would love to see a story where the Newman’s lose everything or at the very least Victor and Nikki. They re sooo sanctimonious and arrogant. It’s boring to see everyone cower in fear over them. The way they treated Nate , Adam , Sally , Kyle etc…
At least when Bill Bell wrote Victor he felt pain and loss etc…but Griffith just writes Victor like God.
I have no idea who this actress is—but, I don’t like her already—but, I truly am looking forward to seeing this storyline unfold—suspenseful!!
Aside; what’s with Victoria’s , Ashley’s and especially Diane’s outfits? They look like priests off to say Thanksgiving’s Mass.
I love Coleen Zenk from ATWT but don’t know if I can enjoy her acting as this mean, vindictive bitch that’s torturing Nicki. I don’t mind her messing with Victor but it just drives me crazy her torturing the whole family. Adam better get his butt there before it’s too late!
Hey, Violet—I had two guesses as to the would-be “savior”—Ian Ward or Adam. Since Adam is missing ; it must be Adam to save them all. Have they really been poisoned?
yes I grew up watching Barbara on as the world turns and I am so glad seeing her on the young and the restless.
I was thrilled when I saw “Barbara Ryan” show up as the evil Aunt Jordan. I loved ASWT and her role in it. Can’t imagine the story behind Jordan and Claire, and the Newman’s.
I so appreciate Iakovos’s comment. I want Nikki to get out of this. Not knowing what a respected actor this woman is, please give us more input before blasting with the storyline. For those who have followed for thirty years, or more, what a treat! This is a Soap, and I guess the rest of us will have to catch up.
Hower, to the producers and writers you are balancing new and long term viewers. I have been an off and on viewer for longer than most. I don’t know what most are talking about.
A very welcome return! Perfect casting here!!! Jordan is like an angrier Barbara. Much much angrier!
This is classic Y & R that actually stacks up to any storyline Bill Bell ever told and that is saying a lot!
Is it campy? Yes! Is it melodramatic? Hell yeah! Is it over the top! YEP! Is it suspenseful? Sure is! Is it pure soap opera? YES!!
This show has been criticized for several years for taking the least dramatic route possible in most storylines.
This one, on the other hand, seemed to come out of nowhere and completely blindsided us! But it is rooted in actual history that we watched on air. It involves all the veterans in a meaningful story. This is a game changer for the Newman’s and for the show and it has been a long time since that has happened!
I am seeing a whole lot of Emmy awards next year! For sure, Ms. Zenk as Guest Performer!!! Perhaps a three peat for Amelia as Victoria. Maybe Melody will finally score an Emmy!
This has been a shocking, bracing story and love it or hate it, it is classic soap opera!
I wish I had a sister as loyal as Jordan, or that Sarah Smythe (Sheila’s sister) from years back! Lol.
No
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).
On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.
Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC
HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT
Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”
Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”
Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Photo: ABC
DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES
In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”
Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”
You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.
Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’

While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.
According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.
Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene, Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera who’s directing the pic also has a part in the film.
WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?
Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they won’t let you leave. DEIFY is coming…”
The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”
MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE
In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.
Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.
So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.
However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.
Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC
FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG
Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!
Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”
MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL
Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).
Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI
PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY
Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”
It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”
A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons
IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”
He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”
Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.”
So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.
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