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Billy Miller In His Y&R Exit Interview On Contract Talks: "To Pass Was The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done!" Bids Farewell To Cast & Crew!

Courtesy/JessicaCollinsTwitter

Photo Credit: Getty Images

It was a very sad day for soap fans and cast mates and crew at The Young and the Restless this past Thursday when Billy Miller left the building for the very last time at the CBS soap opera.   The two-time Daytime Emmy winner taped his last episode as Billy Abbott!

Miller, who gave his one exit interview to Soap Opera Digest in the current issue on newsstands now, is a must read.   In it, Billy gives some insight into what went down behind the scenes that ultimately led to his decision, but when all was said in done, it seemed most to be about getting the breathing room to be able to do other roles and different projects within his acting career.

When asked that in the past during contract negotiations, he eventually signed back with the daytime drama what was different this time that he chose not to re-sign, Miller said: “I was made a generous offer to stay on Y&R.  It was definitely a chance to gain veteran actor status.  To pass was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.   I was caught between a rock and a hard place.  This is a great role to play.  It afforded me a unique lifestyle.  However, I realized if I took that contract I would never know what else is out there.  In the past we were able to venture out of the Y&R world; now it seems there is no longer that flexibility for me.”     Billy has also alluded later in the interview on the contract negotiations:  “I can say that somewhere within the negotiation, it just felt like it was time to move on.”

Courtesy/JessicaCollinsTwitter

Thursday evening, Billy’s long time co-star Amelia Heinle (Victoria) and Laura Walsh (production, Y&R) threw Miller a goodbye bash attended by many of his cast mates!  As many saw on Jessica Collin’s Twitter account, Billy shared some fun with Jessica Collins (Avery), Greg Rikaart (Kevin), and Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea).  Jessica stated “That’s a wrap for my dear friend #BillyMiller at #YR. We will miss you. XoJ @gregrikaart @mclaireegan

Veteran Y&R icon, Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) yesterday also shared his sentiments on saying goodbye to “Billy boy”, when he tweeted in part: “Said farewell to Billy Miller last night! Great guy and actor!!”

So Y&R fans, Billy Miller has officially concluded his time on The Young and the Restless!  We are sure we will see great performances from him again soon as he continues his career in film and television!  What do you think about Billy’s statement on the contract talks? Any parting thoughts you want to post here to wish him well? Comment below!

 

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Mary SF
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Mary SF

I hope he finds what he is looking for. No one wants to spend their life wondering what could have been. Leaving on your own terms rather than being shown the door is always a much more positive experience, so he should be glad about that. It is the shame the show would not be flexible about allowing him to try other projects in order to encourage him to stay, but maybe he is better off leaving now before the show gets any worse. I wish him well and hope to see him in many projects to come.

PatF
Guest
PatF

We’ll all miss him.

But can we now please stop saying he was let go? HIS decision to leave.

toscanti
Guest
toscanti

Respect the man as a person and a wonderful actor, Good Luck Billy Miller you will succeed no matter where you land.

David
Guest
David

A big loss and though I hope the best for David Tom I was never impressed by ANY of is soap roles

Scott (ATWT Fan)
Guest
Scott (ATWT Fan)

Wish him the best on his journeys in the industry.

SteamySteffyfan
Guest
SteamySteffyfan

Billy Miller have loved every minute of watching him as Billy Abbott is an exceptionally amazing talented actor #irreplaceable will miss my #Villy will always be one of Favourite couples of all time on #YR. Wish Billy the best of luck with whatever projects/job opportunities come his way every success with everything you do and hope to see you on our screens soon. #LoveandSupportBillyMiller4ever

Linda Gloria
Guest
Linda Gloria

You are really gonna be missed. Im done with Y&R when you and Adam are both gone. After over twenty years of watching the show has just gone down hill. Now losing Billy & Adam , I believe it’s just a matter of time before they get rid of the veterans actors too

su0000
Guest
su0000

He is young, nobody should be stuck in a soap for more than half their lives, becoming old, wrinkled and gray and full of Botox in a soap opera..
Billy Miller is still young, and getting out!!!
Something good will come his way ..

Patty
Guest
Patty

Billy Miller wanted to stay but JFP refused to budge on giving him outs.

I think once Billy turned down her 1st offer JFP hired DT. Billy had no idea.

Sorry but DT can’t fill BM’s shoes. JFP should have been willing to compromise with her very popular, Emmy winning actor.

It’s YR’s lost.

Vicky
Guest
Vicky

This is just JFP.CBS being AHs …. The man just won his Second EMMY. He has ALWAYS had a contract that let him do other projects, and they let Steve Burton fly in and shoot 2 days worth of scenes and go home to TN .. WHY THE HELL COULDN;t THEY GIVE THE BEST BILY EVER at least what he wanted?!?!?!?!?!? THey are CLEARLY trying to ruin the show, make the ratings drop so they can cancel it…Then No one will be TRUE To CBS every single day of their lives from 12:30-2:00 om ET. BE CAREFUL WHAT ZYOU WISH… Read more »

Chiquita hector
Guest
Chiquita hector

Actually, they couldn’t give Billy what he wanted. That’s why he is telling Y & R goodbye. In lamen terms he didn’t get fired like MM…he quit. They couldn’t offer him freedom to work some place else.

Stacey
Guest
Stacey

I hate Billy Miller is off the show! He was such a great asset to the show! Not sure if the new/old Billy will be any good! Can’t say I will welcome him with open arms! :((

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OLTL Alum Tuc Watkins Opens Up On His Sobriety and the Importance of Camaraderie

He made his mark to soap opera fans as David Vickers on One Life to Live (1994-1996, 2001-2013) and as Bob on Desperate Housewives (2007-2012), since then Tuc Watkins has been featured and starred in numerous television, motion pictures and stage roles.

Most recently, Watkins starred opposite Neil Patrick Harris in the Netflix streaming series Uncoupled, the film and stage adaptation of Boys in the Band, and recently on stage in the AIDS-based drama, The Inheritance.

Tuc, who came out on The Marie Osmond Show back in 2013, is the father of twins via surrogacy, and is currently in a relationship with film, TV and stage actor, Andrew Rannells.  Earlier in his career, many warned Watkins that it could be detrimental to him, if he played gay roles.  However, in the years that have followed, Tuc has proved them wrong taking on some of the most prominent LGBTQ roles out there and earning critical praise for his performances.

A few months ago, in March, Tuc took to his Instagram account to share a before and after photo of him 4 years before he got sober, and 4 years after he got sober with a heartfelt and inspiring message.

Watkins expressed: “If your drinking is making you uncomfortable, tell a sober person. Any sober person. That’s what I did. I don’t remember what I said to him that day. And I don’t remember what he said to me. But I remember the way he made me feel. He made me feel like I was going to be okay. It was the last day I drank. October 28, 2018. I got sober because alcohol was ruining my life. I stay sober because my life got better. #sobriety #recovery”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tuc Watkins (@tucwatkins)

In a new article on Watkins from Queerty, EastSiders creator and star, Kit Williamson delivered a statement to the LGBTQ outlet about his experience working with Tuc and his consistent support for other gay artists.

Photo: ABC

Kit shared: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Tuc three times now. On the third season of EastSiders, my new series Unconventional, and the indie film Retake. Tuc is a star in the literal sense of the word, shining light on and lifting up the people around him, and he is as talented and funny as he is dashing and kind.  I was a fan of his before I became a friend, and I have seen firsthand how committed he is to supporting other queer artists and making art that matters.”

Photo: Jeff Lorch

As pride month approaches in just a weeks time, Watkins shared on Queerty’s coverage on his Instagram: “Thank you @Queerty for elevating the LGBTQ+ community. 🏳️‍🌈 For highlighting the differences in our backgrounds, identities, and experiences, all through the lens of camaraderie.”

Share your thoughts on the talented Tuc Watkins and his efforts to lift others up, and be an inspiration through his own struggles via the comment section.

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General Hospital

General Hospital ‘Spotlight Channel’ Watch Party with Laura Wright and Maurice Benard

On Memorial Day, you can get some inside commentary, scoops and more when General Hospital’s Laura Wright (Carly) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) host a watch party for the new General Hospital Spotlight Channel.

Laura and Maurice will be seen via the General Hospital Facebook page beginning at 1 pm ET/10 am PT.

The new channel is available anytime in the ABC app and online here.  It currently serves up throwback episodes of GH beginning from a few years back.  At the time of its soft launch, episodes began playing from February 5, 2018  through the April 27, 2018 episode. However, more are said to be on the way.

In case you missed its original airing, Laura and Maurice watched back an episode from the GH Spotlight Channel, and reminisced to get GH fans acquainted with the offerings on the FAST (free ad-supported TV) channel.

Check out Laura and Maurice from the watch party in the video below and the promo for the channel released a few weeks back. 

Now let us know, what you think thus far of General Hospital’s Spotlight Channel in the comment section.

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Kelly Clarkson Opens Up on Moving Her Talk Show to New York City: “It’s Either I’m Not Going to be Able to Continue the Show or I Gotta Go East Coast”

Kelly Clarkson told producers of her daytime talk show back in January that she has to head to the east coast starting in the fall, or there wouldn’t be any show to come back to.

In an interview promoting her upcoming new album Chemistry, Clarkson spoke to Nancy O’Dell for the TalkShopLive series.

During the conversation she shared a few more details on what led to this move.  Kelly shared how she spoke to the execs at her show and at NBC, relating, ‘Guys, I need you to know what’s happening. It’s either I’m not going to be able to continue the show or I gotta go East Coast.”

Elaborating further, the Grammy Award-winning singer shared: “Covid, pointed out (that) being isolated and so far from your family, that’s not good for anyone.  My family is East Coast, they’re North Carolina based. So, it was one of those things where I just had to … and also there was a lot of personal things going on, too.”  Those personal things include her recent divorce from Brandon Blackstock back in the summer of 2022, raising her kids and more.

Kelly went on to say that the move to the Big Apple was all her idea, citing, “It as 100 percent my idea and it was really cool that NBC backed me because I was like, ‘Y’all, I love doing this show. I really do. I didn’t even know I would but I gotta make a change for me and my family. Any chance we could do this? I know we can’t do this from my ranch so any chance we could do it in New York … it’s at least closer to my family … that was really the main reason.”

During the chat with O’Dell, Clarkson admitted she is not really into pursuing motion picture and TV roles in Los Angeles anyway, but she does enjoy the stage and when in New York she is closer to the theatre. The Daytime Emmy Award winner also noted that she is working on various other projects.  Might we see Kelly on Broadway in 2024 or 2025? Stay tuned.

Clarkson’s show recently came under fire earlier this month when former and current employees claimed that it fosters a toxic work environment, something Kelly pledges she will make sure in the future that people that work for her show won’t ever feel that way again.

The talk show host addressed the allegations a few weeks ago, and noted changes are coming behind the scenes.  Kelly expressed, “Part of that build will include leadership training for all of the senior staff, including myself. There is always room to grow and ensure we are all being/becoming the best versions of ourselves in any business, especially when it comes to leadership. To ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated.”

So, what do you think about Kelly’s move to New York to be closer to her family, Broadway and more? Will the show have a different feel to it next season? Comment below.

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