News
It's A Wrap For Y&R's Longtime Associate Producer Josh O'Connell!
On Friday and throughout the weekend rumors circulated that a change had been made on the production team of The Young and the Restless, and as we have come to find out it was the series longtime Associate Producer Josh O’Connell who was let-go after 20 years with the daytime drama. It would seem that at present, Y&R is making a few shifts behind the scenes.
O’Connell started in the production offices and being associated with the show back in 1994, and has always had a close relationship with the Bell Family – the late great Y&R creator Bill Bel,l and his wife and co-creator, Lee Phillip Bell. In 2003, Josh was promoted to Associate Producer where he has been for the last 11 years during his tenure with the number one soap opera.
Today on his final day on his job, Josh send out a special message to those colleagues and friends whom he has worked with for decades. We asked Josh if it would be OK to share a part of his message with you.
Josh wrote: “Twenty years ago I began an incredible journey at The Young and the Restless which has changed my life in more ways than I can begin to express. Since my tenure began in 1994, I’ve had the privilege of working with a number of extraordinary teams, starting with the creative genius of the late Bill Bell Sr. and with the remarkable co-creator Lee Phillip Bell. I believe in this unique generation-spanning genre as much now as I did my first day on the job. As I move on to my next journey, I want you all to know how grateful I am to each and every one of you for irreplaceable memories and friendships that I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”
Share your thoughts below on the exit of Josh O’Connell from The Young and the Restless team!
I think that Pratt is to blame. and Cady McClain tweeted an ominous tweet also, like she may be leaving. I think Young and Restless may be in DEEP trouble!
Cady….pass on the banana pancakes!
it’s the saddest thing… I mean this… seriously
having watched serial… for generations… over 3 decades plus
I’m lost without this… devoted… soapbox me… I care
I’ll fight this
LOL… Cady McClain stirred… does fit… if she’s next in line of… let go
along with this associate producer… it’s a crime
a pull to the heart of what television IS
a staple that rips tears and lets go a piece of this everlasting genre that doesn’t need to budget a piece of history…
I think of all the other actors… who once shared
ATWT
AW
Santa Barbara
Guiding Light
AMC
and so on and so on and there it goes
salute
I know I needed to include OLTL
What did Cady tweet?
Notice he did not mention the current PTB as being “extraordinary teams” Y&R seems to have a way of ruining people’s holidays. Last year it was Billy Miller and Michael Muhney…this year it’s Josh and I am sure others are yet to come. How about getting rid of the real problem, Jill Farren Phelps!!!!
wow..
Y&R has lost their core true-characters with the loss of their actors, the ones that made Y&R great..
(BM, MS, MM) and top of heap others.. all gone..
their replacements are all a fail, not doing well..
Too many people are walking out of Y&R..
where there is smoke there is fire / burning behind the scene….
Now– we have Pratt as head writer/producer.. that is good..
I see a huge change on the horizon for Y&R, and that is good thing..
I hope so but if he was any good he would get rid of the dead-wood. Did anyone see today’s show. Poor Nick remembering everyone that hurt him. Good grief Sharon never had issue’s until she got involved with the Newman’s, although Phyllis went after Nick when he was married and grieving Cassie he still loved Sharon & Phyllis knew it. He broke Amy’s heart but that didn’t stop him from taking advantage of her, and Grace was someone he used when he felt down & out. What a prize. Come-on writers how about the truth? And while your at it Nikki saying she didn’t like Sharon!!! Many times Nikki said Sharon made her think of herself when she was younger so give Sharon a damn break.
The actors are fine. Its Jill and co.that arent!
Jill Farren Phelps is the problem First it was her group of friends she brought in from H.H, then the scenery, then favorite actors. Now this please stop her!
There is no one to replace Jill Farren Phelps that has her experience..
And– there are few, very few, who even wants the job..
Who would even want the job and have the experience to do it..
I doubt there are any eager takers or any CBS would hire / outside of Pratt, perhaps..
Jill Farren Phelps is going nowhere ..
How is Pratt a good thing? He hates soaps. thinks that they are beneath him and was part of the team that almost killed GH. He’s a great friend of JFP. So happy I left and all of the most talented actors are gone.
It seems to me that he was fired because he was one of the last links to the Bell run drama– many of the behind the scenes people who worked for the Bells for years were fired the first year JFP came on board. I guess they will spin this as they don’t need an associate producer when the got two producers in Pratt and Phelps, although Pratt is supposed to be in name only— we shall see. It does seem the predictions about Pratt are coming true if they fired the one guy left who might have fought to keep the formula and style the Bell’s created—-
JFP will let go anyone that was under the bell tenure. Look at all of the new directors and writers for y and r. There is nothing classic left and they might be killing off Michael. I will give this show 5 years before its cancelled.
Michael, Christian isnt leaving
Eileen… I hope you know something I don’t because the rumors have him leaving the show. If you know otherwise, please put my mind at ease! 🙂
Not a JILL FAN… I just don’t trust her or her motives.
Jill and Angelica, again. It will never stop.
Instead of hiding behind the facade that Y&R is still the great daytime serial it was, JFP should just admit to trying to cut every last tie to the Bill Bell era the show has. Firing popular and talented actors, getting rid of long-time production staff, bringing in newbie actors, characters and and crew members is all part of JFP’s grand plan of systematically destroying Y&R. Now with Pratt on board, things will likely only get worse. Sony and CBS need to start doing things RIGHT for Y&R, by first getting rid of the biggest problem of all – JFP. And right behind her, Pratt needs to follow.
Not a smart move there!
More firings to come in the next months
I believe they want Y&R to fail. Why else would the HACK JFP still be here. I despise that arrogant Bitch!
Don’t the Bells own the soap? Why are they letting Sony get away with all of this?
Can’t Brad Bell step in and do something??? His family owns this soap, do they not?? I know he’s got his hands full with B&B but he shouldn’t let this show go down the drain!!!!
Nope, the Bells dont own the soap now.
The Bell’s do own a share of The Young and The Restless but unfortunately they do not own the majority of it, Sony does. Unless the Bell’s can purchase some stock back from Sony or a 3rd party buys it, Sony has the control. Sony has allowed the Bells over the years to have creative control, but that too has been taken away. The show is solely the people Sony put in charge Jill Farren Phelps, and soon to be Chuck Pratt. As far as The Bold and The Beautiful, Bill Bell didn’t have to give any shares away so his family owns that serial outright. I would love to see one day Brad oversee both shows and Kay Alden, Susan Morina be Head writers, and Ed Scott move across the hall and re take the Executive Producer position. YR desperately needs a Bell touch, and who better to do it than the people he mentored over the years.
Why did Bell have to give away shares of Y&R?
If memory serves correct Bill Bell was under contract with the Corday Family at Days of Our lives. He wanted out of his contract to start The Young and the Restless. In order for him to get out of his contract it was agreed that he would give shares to them. In turn they later gave their shares to Sony, who also owns Days of Our Lives. The Bold and The Beautiful was created after Bill started The Young and the Restless so he was able to retain full control of that serial. It’s a good thing he did. It’s nice having his son Brad Bell run it, and Ed Scott as Executive Producer, not to mention he was able to bring on a few former YR actors Heather Tom, and Don Diamont. He also has John Smith on his writing team, and for awhile had Kay Aldan (two of Bill Bell’s writing staff), among others.
Loath as I am to defend JFP, or appear to, I am not so sure I would lay this particular move at her feet (though she may not have done anything to stop it). I suspect it’s Sony, rather than JFP, that does not value the ties to the Bell years and the Bell family. It has become clear from Sony’s hiring decisions, and from the direction the show has taken as far back as when Lynn Marie Latham was in charge, that Sony doesn’t understand what made the show so popular and isn’t interested in following the principles that Bill Bell followed. I am guessing they don’t think that those principles will get the ratings they want. (That might be defensible–if the things they were trying WERE getting high ratings, but they’re not.)
Well look what happens after Chuck Pratt is hired, one of the people that have been part of the classy Y&R for years is fired.
And sad that Cady McClain has to go through this again. The same soap hack once again.
Time to sit back with popcorn and see what Pratt will do to Y&R.
REALLY?!?!? Oh, Y-E-T ANOTHER nail in the coffin……….
Wow. After 20 years. Well, hopefully he save his money.
All My Children
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
On the Friday, October 2 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the morning talk show marked the 56th birthday of Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley Vaughan Santos, All My Children).
During the opening segment, Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo Santos, All My Children) humorously comparing his wife to both Gandhi and Groucho Marx, reflecting on both her comedic ability and peaceful ways.
Later, they went on to discuss the origins of her name and the most popular picks to name babies back in the year she was born, 1970. They were Kimberly, Lisa, and Jennifer for girls and Michael, David, and James for the boys.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Ripa recalled that she learned she was almost named Kim. However, their neighbors at the time had two daughters Kelly and Kim, which is what her parents wanted to call them, but they settled on Kelly and and her younger sister, Linda.
At the conclusion of the episode, Mark rolled out a huge cake for his wife. It was, “Happy birthday from all of us here at Live and at home.” Next, he cut the cake, and Ripa grabbed his face and gave him a “thank you” kiss.
Photo: JPI
KELLY AND MARK TRIED TO KEEP THEIR VEGAS WEDDING ON THE DOWN LOW
All of this brings back memories of how Kelly and Mark’s Las Vegas wedding ceremony went public in 1996 while the two were still on All My Children playing Mateo Santos and Hayley Vaughan. In essence, they were outed by then radio host Wendy Williams! They discussed it on the talk show back in 2024.
In fact, the duo hid their marriage from their All My Children castmates for months, until they found out Williams got wind of the nuptials and spread the intel on the airwaves.
The two recalled their secret wedding on a 2024 episode of Live! “We’d eloped. It’d been a few months at that point. We’d been married for three months, nobody at All My Children knew we were even dating, much less married to each other. We’re brushing our teeth and we’ve got Wendy Williams’ radio show on. We’re listening, and she’s like, ‘I’ve got celebrity dish!”
EYEWITNESS
Next Ripa continued, “The celebrities,’ I guess they had a broad use of the term back then, was the fact that ‘two soap stars from All My Children, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos eloped in Las Vegas.’ There was this eyewitness that worked in the Clark County courthouse that said we eloped, and the news broke, and we had to tell everybody we were married.”
Live With Kelly and Mark airs weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings for times in your area.
Share your birthday wishes for Kelly in the comment section, and let us know your thoughts on how Wendy Williams broadcast the news, unbeknownst to the All My Children newlyweds, that they tied the knot in Vegas? Check out Mark and the ‘Live’ studio audience singing ‘happy birthday’ to Kelly in the post below.
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Beyond the Gates
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
As previously reported, kicking off today, is a two-part Beyond the Gates, when The Duprees gather to celebrate Banneker University’s homecoming weekend.
The producers and writers are taking an opportunity to spotlight the rich traditions of the long-held tradition of attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through its fictional university.
The episodes are today on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Friday, October 2 and next week on Monday, October 5, where in true Beyond the Gates fashion, there will be some surprising drama that ensues when someone shows up!
Photo: CBS
BANNEKER REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HBCUS
Sheila Duckworth, (executive producer, Beyond the Gates) spoke to Soaps.com to give some insight on the decision for the series to illustrate the ties that bind with HBCUs.
“It was important that we have this school as almost a character on our canvas, right from the beginning. Beyond even education, HBCUs have been pivotal when it comes to everything from economic progression and fostering a sense of community to the development of leadership skills,” explained Ducksworth. “From the beginning, we wanted to illustrate that what the Duprees are able to do in the world was a direct reflection of the impact HBCU’s have in real life.”
EVERYTHING HAS ITS PURPOSE
The EP talked about how purposeful the elements that integrate Banneker into the overall story of Beyond the Gates are including: the Dupree family door knocker that is a lion, the mascot for the fictional university, plus, the upcoming fight song that the cast will sing together on the Monday, October 5 episode, and the painting the hangs at Fairmont Crest.
That portrait of Vernon Dupree’s (Clifton Davis) father, George Cheeks Dupree, that hangs prominently at the country club, was named after CBS executive George Cheeks (now Chairman of TV and Media, Paramount), and as Ducksworth says of the legacy of Vernon’s father, “He was the architect of Fairmont Crest.”
So, are you looking forward to these episodes honoring HBCU traditions with the Dupree and the Richardson clans? What surprises do you think might be in store come next week? Let us know via the comment section below.
Days Of Our Lives
‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver
After an earlier post on Thursday, October 1 about General Hospital alumni Tajh Bellow’s (ex-TJ Ashford) upcoming project from Issa Rae’s HOOPAE Digital, comes word that Bellow is temporarily stepping into the role of Days of our Lives Theo Carver to fill in for Tyler Joseph Andrews on the Peacock streaming soap opera.
According to TV Insider, Bellow will be making a one-day appearance next week on the October 6 episode of DAYS as Andrews was unable to make the tape date that was shot 10 months ago on a day last December. Andrews (pictured below) took over the role of Theo in September of 2025.
In Bellow’s upcoming episode as Theo, he will share scenes with Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez). A DAYS spokesperson tells the outlet that Bellow “stepped seamlessly into the role, and the cast and crew were grateful for his professionalism and commitment, albeit for only one episode.”
Photo: JPI
TAJH WILL BE SEEN IN MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN OCTOBER
As General Hospital fans know, Tajh played the role of TJ Ashford from 2018 to his last appearance in December of 2024. Along the way, he received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his performances as TJ, the last being in 2025 in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
In addition, bellow along with Y&R alum Loren Lott will be seen starting on October 14 in the new Love Island spoof series, The Compatibility Experiment. The show will drop exclusively on TikTok and the PineDrama platform.
The Compatibility Experiment gives a satirical look at reality dating shows, think Love Island! The story centers around Kelvin (Bellow) and Camila (Lott), whose relationship is put to the test when they join a reality show to try to win a the million dollar prize.
So, what do you think of Tajh stepping in for Tyler Joseph Andrews as Theo on DAYS? Perhaps, the soap opera liked his work that he might be considered for another role in the future bringing Bellow back to the soaps? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
DAYS OF OUR LIVES Preview: Kristen Locates an Alive Sophia, How Much Does Rita Know About the Birth of Dominic Marino?
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver
REPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract
‘Beyond the Gates’ Honors HBCU Tradition with Banneker University Homecoming Episodes
Alley Mills Returns to ‘General Hospital’ as Heather Webber
Judith Light Joins Cast of ‘Shrinking’ Season 4 in Recurring Role
‘Beyond the Gates’ Marquita Goings Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown
DANCING WITH THE STARS: Britt Stewart Visibly Upset After Shocking Elimination with Taylor Hanson
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Days Of Our Lives3 days agoREPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract
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Beyond the Gates3 days ago‘Beyond the Gates’ Honors HBCU Tradition with Banneker University Homecoming Episodes
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General Hospital1 week agoAlley Mills Returns to ‘General Hospital’ as Heather Webber
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News1 week agoJudith Light Joins Cast of ‘Shrinking’ Season 4 in Recurring Role
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Beyond the Gates7 days ago‘Beyond the Gates’ Marquita Goings Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
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News5 days agoY&R Alum Thad Luckinbill Cast in New Thriller ‘Copperhead’
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Beyond the Gates18 hours agoTUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
