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B&B's Brad Bell on Emmy noms, Stephen and Pam's tryst and more!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: JPI Studios

Photo Credit: JPI Studios

On-Air On-Soaps caught up with Daytime Emmy nominee for both Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, the head honcho of The Bold and the Beautiful, Brad Bell.  Yesterday, Brad and his team were honored by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Popular TV Soap in the World.

We asked Brad about his choice of submitting Ann’s death, the resurgence of Betty White, why the decision to have Pam sleep with Stephen, and what’s next.   Here are some excerpts:

Bell on what B&B submitted to garner them the Emmy nod for show and writing and why:  “We submitted for Drama Series, the Betty White die with dignity story.  We were thrilled with the performances, and they were our favorite episodes of the year. It included a location shoot, an issue, great humor, and a brave heartbeat. So it felt like we had all the right ingredients. For us these really stood out. In the years past, we would have difficulty choosing, but these were some of my favorite episodes of the whole series of all-time.”

Even though Bell is the head writer, how much was he involved in the actual day to day of the heralded story ,and series of episodes: ” I was very involved in the creation of the scenes, and the dialog, and the editing. But, certainly it’s a group effort with the writing team comprised of Kay Alden and Patrick Mulcahey and Michael Minnis. Our team pulled all together on this one, and they all really shined.”

Bell on the Betty White success story in 2010: “I think it’s wonderful! In soap opera, we have found actors throughout who are brilliant and who have “it”, and so many of them are not being recognized. We have had the wonderful chance to employ some of these great actors, and Betty White is a standout.  She can do comedy, and drama. Who knew?  She is a wonderful human being, and I am happy she is having this remarkable and unprecedented resurgence.”

Bell on if it were to be two in a row for B&B, and they were to win Drama Series, what would he do if he was unceremoniously cut off during his acceptance speech again, a la the American Airlines promo, that was seen instead of  his speech on last year’s telecast!  “We joke that we are not flying American Airlines to Vegas either!”

Bell on the honor by Guinness Book of World Records: “It’s very exciting, and we didn’t really know, but they have a wonderful comprehensive entertainment section in the Guinness Book of World Records, and we have really stood out with our numbers and viewership around the world. We are definitely and by far, the most popular soap or telenovela in the world.  And, it’s wonderful to have this acknowledgment especially when soaps are being canceled, and not having much good news these days.  We had the Emmy nominees last week, the Guinness Book of World this week, and I can’t wait for next week! ” (Laughs)

Bell on the big sex scandal when poor crazy Pam gets deflowered by Stephen Logan as part of his revenge sex plot to destroy Stephanie!  “I think it goes back to the core battle between the Logans and the Forresters.  I think at this point in time it’s never been more interesting. We have a great group of actors: Patrick Duffy (Stephen), Alley Mills (Pam), Susan Flannery (Stephanie) battling against each other, and the Logan sisters are hot, and ready for action…. Always!  I think this a man who is still mourning the love of his life, Beth Logan. Yes, he is rebounding from that, and this is a darker time.  He is having very dark thoughts, and in his mind, because of Stephanie.  She had emotionally and physically abused his daughters over these years, and he has done nothing about it.  This is a man at a breaking point who has to do something, and believes he has come up with the perfect crime, and the perfect redemption. ”

Bell on if this will be a quickie B&B story beat or have some major fallout: “Yes, this is a story with some legs.  Its going to be fun, action-packed, and with some very dark moments, and some unexpected twists as well.”

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They should not have won for that maudlin ep w/ Storm’s suicide. Its repercussions, as expected of brad bell, are never utilized. Katie’s heart surgery scar has disappeared, and no one even mentions Storm’s death, even when Steph had a part in Beth’s death. The sad part is Brad bell actually thinks the guiness record equals a reflection of quality on B&B, which it doesn’t. B&B hasn’t been any good since Taylor/Rick thanks in no part to hammy, over enunciating Lowder, and thanks only to Tylo and KKL. B&B is like McDonald’s. LOL! B&B is a global brand. McDonald’s is omnipresent. It doesn’t mean B&B is a quality show or McDonald’s serves good food. They just happen to be everywhere. No one can deny B&B’s global ratings. But it doesn’t mean it’s a good show. It used to be good, but it’s been crappy for years.

LOL on Brad bell’s quote: “He is having very dark thoughts, and in his mind, because of Stephanie.” Where would Stephen have thoughts other than his mind? Hahahahahaha! Bell says the same things abt his storylines. It’s going to have a lasting impact/repercussions/etc. But the only thing consistent abt B&B is that its history is always rewritten. So nothing really makes an impact and everything is plot driven.

Instead of killing off Storm, Brooke should have been the shooter. She could have gone bonkers after the rape and Brooke has a history of mental instability. It would have been more dramatic, and the show needs male Logans to balance all the women. Storm would have been a good pairing w/ Felicia, and Devry is a decent actor (except when Storm was revealed as the shooter). All killing off Storm did was give Katie a heart transplant, yet Heather Tom didn’t garner an Emmy nom, Katie lost her baby w/ Nick and her scar is never an issue.

A storyline for Mills is great. Pam needs to drive more storylines. Maybe Pam ends up going bonkers and kills Rick! Fire Kyle Lowder! he’s an awful actor. Stephen’s revenge storyline has potential, but the real revenge storyline should be from Brooke. She needs to go nuts and try to kill Stephanie for her role in Storm’s suicide and Beth’s death and brooke’s rape. However, that ain’t happening since Bell writes Brooke in such a boring way. Brooke needs to get into a catfight w/ and win in that catfight against Amber and Tawney. Bell needs to rehire Andrea Evans as trashy Tawney. And once ATWT wraps up, Lesli Kay’s Felicia should return, along w/ John Hensely as Zach Hamilton, Felicia’s ex and let it be revealed that he’s Felicia’s donor.

I think Brad Bell and his writers are very smart in creating B&B and its stories.This one of Pam and Stephen is a hoot. She literally is getting hers after all the viscious things she has pulled and got away with.. I am not so hapy with the Bridget and Owen story. I would like to see Nick realize what the heck is going on behind his back. And yes, the Betty White death scene was done extremely well.She’s a comer……

They never should have killed off Betty White’s character doe, but then it’s odd for her to portray SF’s mother and Moss’s grandmother since Moss is in his 60s. How hilarious for Brad bell to label that storyline the “Betty White die w/ dignity story” LOL! Such a ridiculous label!

Everyone hates that Bridget/HOwen/Jackie/Nick storyline. It’s 1 soap cliche after the next. It began w/ Bridget and Nick having 1 of their babies die yet again, then Bridget has grief sex w/ slutty HOwen, then they had a who’s the daddy arc, now the 3 whores Jackie, HOwen and Bridget are lying to skanky Nick. B&B has done this kind of storyline so many times. And the most hilarious part is that Bridget couldn’t have any babies. She has a surrogate, and now that she’s older, she gets preggers! LOL!

Pam’s upcoming storyline is the only good part of B&B. The more Pam, the better!

General Hospital

Could Justin Bruening Join ‘General Hospital’? Set Visit with Wife Alexa Havins Stirs Fan Hopes

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Justin Bruening and Alexa Havins

Several famous couples met on All My Children; one of which is Justin Bruening (ex-Jamie Martin) and Alexa Havins (ex-Babe Carey, now Lulu Spencer, GH). The two met on the soap and married back in 2005 and share four children together. Fast forward to 2026 and Havins, who is currently in the middle of Lulu’s legal battle with Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), received a visit from her hubby on the set of the ABC soap opera.

Bruening took to his Instagram to share his visit to Port Charles with a series of very cute photos of the couple, which then lead fans to hope that a Justin sighting could potentially lead to a role on the show!

Taking to his social media, the first photo was captioned, “I’m lost….Can someone point me in the direction of a good hospital?” Next, Justin selected a pic with himself and his wife, sharing, “Oh! Here’s someone! Lulu, you say? Hmmm….That’s weird…you look familiar. Have we met?” In a follow-up photo, Bruening commented, “You’re cute….. What are you going to do with the rest of your life? I’m thinking……… 4 kids? House in the burbs? 1,001 pets?”

Photo: JPI

FROM PINE VALLEY TO PORT CHARLES

Then, Bruening included a photo of himself in front of the photo of his former on-screen brother, Michael E. Knight (ex-Tad, AMC) who now plays Martin Grey on General Hospital.

Taking to the comment thread was Alexa Havins’ on-screen son, Finn Carr (Rocco Falconeri) who shared, “This is amazing!” In addition to many fans who now hope that Justin might one day soon join the cast of GH.

“Does this mean you’re coming on GH or just visiting your beautiful wife,”expressed one fan. Another wrote, “Ooh, any chance we’re getting a cameo? Tell Alexa she’s my fave on the show.” Another had a casting idea, “Make Justin Bruening a Dillon Quartermaine recast!”

Alexa Havins played Babe from 2003-2007 on the beloved ABC soap opera, while Bruening played Jamie from on and off from 2003-2011 when the series was canceled by ABC.

Since his days in Pine Valley, Bruening has appeared on primetime in series including, Ravenswood, Grey’s Anatomy, and Sweet Magnolias.

Justin recently wrapped The Other Side of the Window, a thriller where the loglines share: “CEO Elise Dufoe must work with unconventional allies to clear her name after her husband dies mysteriously and she is framed for financial crimes.” The feature is said to be in post-production.

So, did you love seeing Justin and Alexa together in the new pics? Would you like to see Justin land a role on GH? If so, who should he be cast as? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Erika Slezak Fan Club Celebrates 55 Years with Special Note from Six-Time Daytime Emmy-Winning Icon and Expanded Website Content

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Erika Slezak

It’s a big week for fans of One Life to Live star Erika Slezak (ex-Viki). The six-time Daytime Emmy-winning star’s fan club turns an amazing 55-years-old under the constant care and development from Walter Miller.

To celebrate, there is so much more to see at ErikaSlezak.com, which includes a very heartfelt message and thank you’s from Erika herself; recalling how she met Miller and more and the start of the fan club back in 1971.

Erika expressed, “Hello to all my friends who have been with me now over 55 years. It’s absolutely amazing.  A charming and very young man approached me as I was leaving the studio during my first year on OLTL and asked me if he could start a fan club for me. I was very young as well and really knew nothing about fan clubs, etc., but he was so nice and sweet, so I thought, why not?”

The iconic actress went on to say, “And that was the beginning of a wonderful long friendship with Walter Miller, who has been so incredible in being in charge of the fan club and all that that requires. I am so grateful to him for all that he has done over the past 55 years and for our enduring friendship all these years.”

Overwhelmed by her loyal fans, who have been with her for decades, Slezak added, “I never dreamed that the club would last so long, and it is solely due to Walter and all the others who have contributed to the club and website — Angie Schneider, Kit Williams, Stephen Schofield, Vivian Mora-Robaina, Martha Julian, Mike Poirier, and so many others. Can’t quite believe that it has been so long — seems like yesterday. Thank you all for staying with us. And God bless!!”

Photo: ErikaSlezak.com

Now, ErikaSlezak.com has added dozens of new and updated links to rare videos, historical photographs, original newsletters, and treasured Fan Club memorabilia which includes:

Watch Erika Through the Years! The expanded Media section features decades of television appearances, interviews, rare videos, and special moments. Visit Emmy Awards to enjoy acceptance speeches and performance reels celebrating all six of Erika’s historic wins. And don’t miss Erika on General Hospital — 2025, featuring 61 video clips of her scenes as Ronnie Bard, plus photographs and interviews.

Rediscover One Life to Live! Explore Victoria Lord’s memorable storylines, including newly added links to original Fan Club newsletters covering Family Feud, Viki in Heaven, the Old West, Eterna, Viki’s Stroke, and Viki’s Heart. Visit Erika in Her Own Words for Erika’s own recollections preserved in the newsletters, and discover Agnes Nixon’s heartfelt messages in our Congratulatory Booklets.

Photo: JPI

Photographs, Clippings & Fan Memories! The reorganized Photo Gallery features improved decade collections, additional Lord family photographs, and wonderful new finds. The Clippings archive has grown to more than 500 newspaper and magazine items spanning six decades. Super Soap Weekend brings together Vivian Mora-Robaina’s memories, photographs, and ten video links! Our Fan Club Gatherings and Erika with Her Fans — Through the Years collections are now connected, making decades of memories easier to explore.

We Love Hearing From You! Visit the Comments page to tell about your favorite Erika or One Life to Live memory, and more.

A special thank you from Michael Fairman TV to Walter Miller for including some of our wonderful video interviews with Erika over the years! Make sure to check them out.

So, let us know, have you been a member of the Erika Slezak fan club throughout its 55 years? Have you checked out Erika’s website with all of its updated content? Miss seeing the iconic star on daytime? Hope she returns to GH as Ronnie one day soon? Let us know via the comment section.

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Y&R Adds Tetona Jackson as a Recast Roxanne and Fareed Ward as New Doctor in First Casting Hires Under Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor Writing Regime

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Tetona Jackson and Fareed Ward

There will be some fresh faces in Genoa City this fall when the character of Roxanne Barrington returns to town now played by Tetona Jackson, and Fareed Ward takes on the new role of Dr. Andrew Bishop.

The castings are the first revealed from The Young and the Restless’ new co-head writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, whose material begins airing November 11 on the CBS daytime drama series. TV Insider first broke the news.

The timing of a Roxanne return is intriguing since the original portrayer, Tatyana Ali is back in the pop culture zeitgeist currently competing for the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy on Dancing with the Stars.

Tatyana and Devon

Photo: JPI

In story, Devon (Bryton James) and Roxanne were on-again off-again for several years from 2007-2013 until the character left town. Tatyana Ali actually picked up three consecutive NAACP Image Awards for her work on Y&R.

While a newcomer to daytime, Jackson has been a series regular on BET’s Boomerang, the CBS comedy series, Poppa’s House and had a recurring role in Freeform’s Good Trouble that also featured former General Hospital star, Bryan Craig (ex-Morgan Corinthos).

As for Fareed Ward, his new character of Dr. Andrew Bishop happens to be a medical colleague of Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) and Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox). While Stephanie serves as chief of staff at Genoa City Memorial Hospital, Nate recently returned to medicine after undergoing surgery to repair a debilitating hand injury from an altercation with Devon.

Ward has appeared in several primetime series including: CBS’s CIA, FBI and S.W.A.T, the comedy series Will & Grace and Netflix’s Graveyard. He also had a stint on All My Children as a character named Larry.

Photo: CBS

Expectations are high for the the new co-head writing regime of two-time Daytime Emmy Outstanding Writing Team nominee, Jamey Giddens (for his work on Beyond the Gates and Days of our Lives), and for Dan O’Connor who at one time was the co-head writer of General Hospital and also known for his lengthy tenure at One Life to Live and more recently as part of the writing team at Days of our Lives.

It was back on July 29 that CBS and Y&R announced their replacements for the head writing gig after Josh Griffith decided to step down from the position he held since 2019.

So, what do you think about Y&R bringing back Roxanne and introducing us to a new doctor? Excited to see how they fold into Jamey and Dan’s stories? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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