News
Former 90210 Baddie, Blake Hood Cast as the New SORAS'd Kyle on Y&R!

Photo Credit: Wire Image
Remember we told you that Y&R was casting a young college aged male who returns home with a serious ax to grind? Well, mystery solved and he was who we thought it would be, and so did most of our soapers!
The Hollywood Reporter announced exclusively today that former 90210 bad guy, Blake Hood has been as the new Kyle Jenkins Abbott on The Young and the Restless. 90201 audiences will recall, Blake played Mark, a high school football player who got Annie involved in a scandalous texting incident.
Now the young actor comes to Genoa City as the SORAS’d version of Kyle, who after the murder of his mother, Diane (Maura West) struggled with anger toward his father (Peter Bergman) and eventually departed for a hockey boarding school. Look for Blake Hood to debut on the April 27th episode of Y&R!
So, what do you think? A sexy snarkier Kyle? Do you think Blake Hood fits the bill? Let us know!
Days Of Our Lives
‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast
After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.

Photo: NBC
There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.
The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.
In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.
Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.

Photo: NBC
Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”
As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”
The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.
So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
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Ew no. This should NOT be happening.
I hate it when they soras a totally great actor. Kyle was one of the best young actors this show has ever seen. Young Abby and Cassie were great as well. Of course they killed off Cassie and sorased Abby. I don’t get why they have to rush these things. Makes me grumpy.
Too much of an age jump.
Awesome!!!! He will add some much needed drama to the storyline.
the young and the restless is wasting our time with stupid recasts. the original kyle who left grew on me. i started to like his acting. now they age him much older. dont like that. lets bring back sheila carter with kimberlin brown. that would be more intresting than a kyle recast. also i miss maury west as diane. they made a big mistake by letting her go. maura would be good on days of our lives or general hospital.
Perfect casting! He looks a lot like Peter (Jack). YR finally did something right. Of course this is because they have AMC’s casting director!
wow – i knew they would eventually soras kyle but i didn’t think it would be this soon………….
Growth hormones in the water at Boarding school who knew it would take only 4 months?
While it does fix the whole Abby/Kyle age gap problem, another problem I foresee will be referencing Diane’s murder. If the character says “it’s been hard since Mom died” or something to that effect, are they going to revise Diane’s death date and act as though she’s been dead for years (since Kyle was still ten when she died) or will her death date remain the same.
And when Jack sees Kyle again, are they going to say “it’s been years” as they do with most SORASed children and their parents? I hate when SORAS children and then go down the whole abandonment road. It’s incredibly hard to believe most of the time.
This is why I’m not that big of a fan of SORAS. It makes continuity almost impossible.
They’ve got too many storylines on the show as it is. They need to trim the cast, not add to it. Although, Kyle coming home to see dad makes sense. But doesn’t Jack have another son?
He does, Mo. Keemo, is it? From his time in Vietnam. I agree with your comment about trimming. Too many characters on the canvas and they are not used to their fullest. There are stories to explore at the core, and I think we could cut loose Daisy and some others.
Harmony, Sarge, Devon, Ricky, Gen, Angie, Angelo…
They need to have maybe five stories. Otherwise it’s just too confusing. B&B has the opposite problem. They tend to focus on too few stories–at least right now. Everyone is town is obsessed with Liam and Hope and all up in their biz!
I think Kyle should not yet be a college gradute. It would have been OK to have him just recently graduated from high school. They aged Noah, too, but a bit more slowly.
In fact, since Noah recently went away, I thought it could be him, though I had the impression the magazines all knew already it would be Kyle.
He does look like he could be Jack’s son, but he also in some ways resembles Adam, as well.
Perhaps Diane and Hope wll turn out to have ben related, or they will change the story yet again so either Victor is Kyle’s Dad, or Jack is Adam’s!
The whole chip on his shoulder thing sounds like they will be doing the same son-alienated from-his-long-aabsent-Dad story for the 4th time-Adam and Victor, Devon and Tucker, Ricky and Paul, and now Kyle and Jack, soon to be joined, I assume by Noah and Nick…
This is SO bad on so many levels, it’s not even funny!!!
Is Blake Hood the son of the actor who played “Rex Sterling” on Y & R? He looks a lot like him!
It was dumb when they aged Noah. Sharon and Nick weren’t teenagers when he was born, but the way it is now, it’s as if they were 15/16. The “new” Kyle is awful. The age jump is ridiculous. A five-year increase would be more believable. And the actor is ugh, whiny and a bit annoying. I did not see him in 90210, but I can’t imagine him playing a “baddie.” He looks too scrawny and wimpy. In related news, sad to hear Jess Walton is taking a six-month leave of absence. She’s one of my favourites. I wonder what the writers have in store for Danny and Christine when they bring them back this month.
Lois, Danny & Christine are coming back I think concerning this Daisy/Daniel junk because Ricky starts digging up dirt about Phyllis and he discovers she ran down Paul & Christine years ago etc. I wonder what old Nicky boy will feel when he finds out perfect Phyllis tried to kill Christine?Or is MAB going to whitewash that too?
Is it just me, or is she truly a remarkably inferior writer to Mr. Bell et al? Her story lines should come with the disclaimer, “byo imagination.” They are so far-fetched and unbelievable. Would love to see an end to Nick and Phyllis … she’s pushing 50 and pg?? Come on!
Oh really, the last thing they need on this show is another baby to ooh, aah, fret/worry over-then forget about till they turn into a teenager or older, overnight. This show is already overrun with babies/kids-Lily’s 2, baby Moses (as everyone refers to him), Fenn, Summer, Faith, Lucy, John, Reed, Delia, Kyle (who should still be 12) that’s 11 kids right there! No other show has this many. Jeez. Doofus Nick will not be fazed by anything Phyllis has done. (I hate the name Phyllis by the way-hard to type & just a yucky name) Nick has just become a big dumb lummox.
Kyle was born in 2001, went off to hockey school and returns as a character who is old enough to be drinkin’ beer? Unbelievable!
I think the little boy that played Kyle when Maura West was on the show, was an exraordinary and gifted young actor, and his character was an important and pleasent addition to the show. Now we have fast forward in just a year, to a 28 year old actor who is suppose to be 21 or 22. How many sexy, hunkie young guys does any one soap opera need? A wonderful child actor is a refreshing change of pace from the usual sexy, twists and turns of the modern day soap opera. GIve more child actors a chance, and hence they will have the opportunity to shine!