News
B&B's Brad Bell on Hope's Upcoming Pill Popping, Jack Wagner's departure and how CBS supports its soaps!
Photo Credit: CBS
This month is The Bold and the Beautiful’s silver anniversary! That’s right the show turns 25- years-old on March 23rd and to begin the month long celebration, TV Guide kicks us off with a refreshing new interview with the man who pulls the all the strings of the number two CBS soap, executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell.
During the chitchat, several things were revealed including how the upcoming story turn for Hope Logan (Kim Matula) will come about …. yes from virgin to pill-popper, the sudden departure of soap icon Jack Wagner from the series, and the difference in the downturn of the soap climate on how a network like CBS handles their programming as opposed to ABC! Here are a few intriguing excerpts below!
Brad on how Hope gets hooked on prescription pills: “Hope is living with Liam, a married man. It’s completely contrary to everything she’s been up on her box espousing. Parents are buying Hope’s clothes for their kids because they want a positive, anti-Kardashian role model. When it’s revealed that she’s living with Liam, they feel they’ve been duped. She’s labeled an adulteress and hypocrite and it becomes a media nightmare. The paparazzi will swarm her and the people who were once her fans turn on her on the various websites. S he’s already been taking anti-anxiety pills — prescribed by a psychiatrist — but the story will take a turn and those pills become detrimental to her well-being. ”
Brad on taking Jack Wagner off-contract with B&B : “It wasn’t an easy decision. It’s no secret I haven’t given him the types of stories that he deserved. He is an incredibly gifted actor, with such range and talent, and he’s also a great gentleman. It’s really best for both of us. Professionally, I’d love for him to remain available to us on a recurring basis. Personally, I wish him nothing but the best and, if that means losing him to GH, then I’ll have to live with that.”
Brad on the support he receives from the CBS Network for his show in a climate where soaps are being canceled left and right: Even in these more difficult times for soaps, the network has been fantastic. Les Moonves and Nina Tassler have been very complimentary and continue to allow me great creative freedom. I can’t imagine a better working relationship with a network. NBC and ABC have made the mistake in their daytime divisions of programming to the bottom line, just putting on cost-effective shows solely to make a profit. CBS puts quality and loyalty first and I have great faith that they will keep us around.”
What do you think of Hope’s new storyline? Wagner being let-go? And, how Bell illustrates how NBC and ABC have treated their soap? Let us know!
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.
Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”
Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.
Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
The Young and the Restless enduring favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy-winning actress, Jess Walton (Jill Foster Abbott) is set to release her memoir!
Kensington Publishing has revealed on their website that Walton’s book The Young and the Rest of Us is now available for pre-order while listing an April 27, 2027 release date. In addition, in June of 2027, Walton will mark her 40th anniversary with The Young and the Restless and her debut as Jill.
The official log lines for the memoir share, “Emmy Award-winning actress Jess Walton, known to millions as the iconic Jill Abbott on the #1 soap opera The Young and the Restless, shares her extraordinary journey to stardom, sobriety, true love, and self-discovery in this startingly candid, intimate, and star-studded memoir.”
Photo; Kensington Books
CAKE FIGHTS AND CORPORATE INTRIGUE
The book description for The Young and the Rest of Us adds, “In June 1987, Jess Walton walked through the artists’ entrance at CBS for her first day on The Young and the Restless,where she had just been hired to play the recast role of Jill Abbott. Two Emmy awards, four decades, and countless onscreen affairs, marriages, corporate takeovers, and cake fights later, she’s a beloved icon with an astonishing tale to tell.”
“In her refreshingly candid style, Jess shares her journey as a young actress from Toronto theaters to Los Angeles, where she found herself at the center of a Laurel Canyon circle that included the likes of Neil Young, David Geffen, Laura Nyro, and Joni Mitchell. Landing a Universal contract and a steady stream of guest starring roles, Jess embraced everything 1970s L.A. had to offer—including Hollywood parties fueled by limitless booze and drugs, and trysts with stars. She recounts with candor and gratitude the surprising path that eventually led her to sobriety, true love—and ultimately, to fictional Genoa City, Wisconsin, and the role of a lifetime.”
“Brimming with behind-the-scenes drama and celebrity cameos to delight fans, The Young and the Rest of Us is also rich in personal, relatable truths about marriage, motherhood, empty-nesting, self-discovery, and finding the courage to start over—as often as it takes. In a voice as fearless and frank as Jill’s, but with, humor and grace all her own, Jess Walton looks back on a life as unpredictable, and adventure filled as anything she has portrayed on screen.”
WHO ELSE PLAYED JILL FOSER ABBOTT?
Fans of The Young and the Restless know that Walton became the fourth actress to take on the role of Katherine Chancellor’s original nemesis Jill Foster back in 1987. The OG Jill was played by Brenda Dickson, also Deborah Adair, Bond Gideon and Melinda O. Fee played the part.
This year, Days of our Lives star Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) filled-in for several episodes for Walton who was unavailable to travel from her home in Oregon to Los Angeles where Y&R was taped. Walton is still with the long-running soap opera as Jill.
So, excited to learn of Jess Walton’s upcoming memoir, ‘The Young and the Rest of Us?’ Will it be it a must-read for you? Drop a comment below.
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
‘General Hospital’s’ Tabyana Ali Song ‘Pray’ Now Available on Major Streaming Platforms with Music Video Forthcoming
‘General Hospital’ Icon Genie Francis to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards
Vivica A. Fox Exits ‘The Young and the Restless’ For Now to Film Netflix’s ‘Women Like Us’
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
‘Beyond the Gates’ vs. ‘The Young and the Restless’ in a Soap Opera Showdown on ‘Flip Side’ Season 3 Premiere
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom Talks Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and What’s Behind Katie’s Deep-Seated Issues with Dylan (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Did Brook Lynn Deserve Chase Walking Out on Her?
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Brad Bell is rewriting history read the entire interview Karen Spencer NEVER had a relationship with Ridge it was Thorne!!! If you want to center around teenyboppers that’s fine but the acting classes would help. And if you want to spice this up bring in Deacon, oh thats right your sister-in-law ruined his character. My head is spinning and I just threw up pea soup. I use to watch this on my lunch hour not anymore.
Yes!! Bring back Deacon!! I just want him to love the crap out of Hope & put Ridge in his place!
CBS has favored loyalty & quality over cost?! This man is an idiot! Maybe he would like to define his idea of loyalty after all CBS cancelled a show in GL that was older than TV itself!!! And quality…B&B has never been a quality show. Outside of Susan Flannery, not one person can act on that show! The stories are tired & predictable. I don’t care if they won an Emmy, it’s garbage. I can’t believe we’ve lost GL, ATWT, OLTL & AMC and his junk is still on the air. If not for the cushy post Y&R time slot, B&B would be gone! Hope he remembers this interview when CBS finally pulls the plug!
I like Brad Bell for more reasons than supporting the soap genre. Thanks Bell for not going all Hollywood when you could so easily have done so. You obviously remember the people that helped U get where U are; you have remained grounded and practical.
I think he is speaking the truth, otherwise I would still be getting home from work and be able to watch “One Life To Live” !
But ABC took that away from us.
I am sure that some people many be getting tired of all the OLTL fans crying about this…. but it is still a great loss to us.
It’s not so much of getting tired, I talk to people all over the site, but I only want to talk about GH with folk, NOT One Life to Life. IT IS OVER…….. I will continue to FIGHT for One Life, petition for it, send soap and all the rest, BUT there is no need to compare One Life to GH, and wish the entire cast of One Life over to GH. OLTL had it’s movement in time, and General Hospital STILL have their’s, and we must ACCEPT that and move on…! So as a fan, I’m not tired of the fans crying over OLTL ; I’m tired of the wish list of OLTL fans coming over to GH. Tired of it. Fans should continue their fight, but not at the expense of wishing GH turn into OLTL….
OLTL had it’s movement in time, and General Hospital STILL have their’s….!!!
I can appreciate your response, and I take no offense with it, as in the past, I may have been one of the fans guilty of wishing in the way you have expressed. However, I have not mentioned GH in my comment today… but will take everything you have said into consideration and be more caring and repectful to the GH fans in future postings.
Sometimes I wish we could hear each others comments rather than just read them, so much can be lost with injecture in text and and the absence of vocal tone.
Thank you, Brian.
Brian said: ” Sometimes I wish we could hear each others comments rather than just read them, so much can be lost with injecture in text and and the absence of vocal tone. ”
This Brian is a TRUE Fact…!
Wagner (Frisco) can come back to GH. That has always been his home.
Since Felicia is going to reconcile with Uncle Mac, who is a good pairing for Frisco?
Carly?
who said anything about felicia reconciling with mac?
Me
keep dreaming.
if bell thought wagner was that great of an actor he would have given himm better storylines – he just blowing smoke to us…………….
I donot want to see Frisco or Felicia back on the canvas, separate or together. Frisco is too ringled up for Carly. Jack should have stayed out the sun.
lol
Jack Wagner is just one of the many male actors he has let go the bottom line is young actors cost less money I am surprised Jack lasted as long as he did. Brad Bell is terrible about not wrapping up their storylines he just drops them with no mention of them again. My sister could never stand this show because Ronn Moss who is suppose to be super stud acted so feminine! Usually over the years if you were paired with KKL you had a short life so JW lasted longer then most of us thought.
BB was good earlier, but lately I am sick of Steffy, Liam, Hope -that’s all they have to give? Now they let all the older actors go , but oh they were good ones, shame on BELL!!! Many us tired of Liam,Hope & Steffy its sick watching these three day in and day out Monday-Friday. They don’t have other story lines to provide us? Brooke, Ridge & the rest of the gang should stay home. This is turned out horrible lately!
Bell get with it man your losing your VIEWERS!
Stephanie & Eric bore me to tears! & The Steffy/Liam/Hope story is being killed w/sexual anxiety stuff. It’s just really awkward to watch. I can only hope it’s brief but these way story lines seem to drag on, I doubt it. More Katie, more Bill, more Brooke!!! Where’s Amber? & Rick?
Tell all the fans who watch the soaps on your network to NOT watch Kati Couric when it hits ABC. We the soap fans who support the genre DONOT support any new show, on any network PUT ON in place of a soap. I am an ABC viewer and since I lost AMC and OLTL, I change the channel and I DONOT go to CBS and watch THE TALK, because it replaces a CBS soap opera and I support the soap genre. Sprend the word to fans who watch your network, and post on ” New-Soap Buzz” for your network. Thank You.
* In fact do a copy/paste and, SAVE this to your inbox.
They will STOP canceling our soaps when they know other soaps fans (that aren’t made at them about their soaps cancellation) wont jump the network and support a show. I change my television at 1 and 2 pm to WHATEVER channel that is running a soap opera, just so they can get the ratings, and I go on about my business.
I am deeply frustrated,as a HOPE fan,that she is being wasted,her values are wasted just for the need to SATISFY a married guy,Liam.Liam never deserved and whatever he does,he will never deserve Hope.We,really are very sad for the late storyline for Hope,but we still have a hope that Hope will realize Liam is just a selfish boy who does not deserve her pure love.Thomas and Hope has had the greatest chemistry in new generation and Veterans Day romance(just like we were watching a fairytale from a beautiful book),Cabu scenes were the only scenes where we really witnessed HOPE’S EYES WERE SHINING! Thomas and Hope scenes and chemistry are so like Brooke&Ridge’s.So why not use this perfect chemistry with a new storyline? We want writers to write Hope falling in love with Thomas.Liam is killing the show.Do writers watch the show with the eyes of the fans? if they don’t,please someone tell them that HOPE&THOMAS storyline need to be written before Hope’s character is totally ruined by Liam the worthless one.Thanx
I agree Samet the pill popping storyline for Hope is not what I expected. However; I do believe the writers are trying to make a point with the deep seated issues Hope had been surpressing since childhood. She and her mother almost being rape. Also the enormous pressure she has put on herself to be a role model for young girls. What she is about to experience is a real life situation that could turn out to be a positive for her in the end. I disagree with the notion that Liam is the one that ruining her character. I have no doubt he will be there and love her 100% when she goes through this trial. There is a special love and bond the two of them share. You can feel it when they are in a scene together. If you think about all the troubles both Liam & Hope have encounter and still have this undying love for each other. I do believe the writers are making a point that Liam & Hope is B&B destiny couple.
Frankly, I would like to see a new guy come into the picture down the road and takes a romantic interest in Hope. I think Liam assumes that Hope is always going to be there for him. I hope the writers shake things up a little bit. As I stated earlier, Liam is not going to desert Hope when she goes through this crisis. I truly believe that he will be her rock through this ordeal. I also believe that BIll definitely has a hidden agenda in this whole Hope/Liam/Steffy triangle. He wants to keep Steffy close because of his past steamy relationship with her. Those feelings are still there.
The Hope/Liam storyline has been completely and irreparably ruined by the writers. The Y&R was my favorite soap and the only one I watched regularly. Then, one day I tuned in to B&B and saw the character Hope whom I adored immediately. I was hooked on the love storyline between the Liam/Hope characters. How they met and how their relationship developed was awesome. Their wholesomeness, their friendship, and later, the love that developed between them was mesmerizing. She had principles and stood by them, regardless of what others did and thought of her. I was so impressed with the direction of the storyline, having Hope hold on to her values and resisting the temptation to be with Liam after he betrayed her. Then, someone got the idea to turn Hope into a desperate, pill popping adulteress who will do anything to keep Liam. I HATE what the writers did to Hope’s character, and to be honest with you, I tried to continue to watch the show but I can’t. I absolutely hate the show now and no longer bother to tune in. I purposely turn the channel from B&B now as I find it painful to watch. And just for the record, every character on a soap does not have to be turned into someone without morals. There are so many viewers who adored Hope and what she stood for who now hate what the writers have turned Hope into. (read the message boards). I use to read them and was overjoyed to see how many people loved what Hope stood for. NOW, I actually wish, since this is soap opera land, that Hope’s sleeping and moving in with Liam could all be a dream and Hope’s character is redeemed back to what it was. Until then, I just don’t care to watch any more.