News
Kelly Kruger and Lauren Woodland Back To Y&R For Indefinite Run!

Photo Credit: JPI Studios
After their return visits to Genoa City, Kelly Kruger and Lauren Woodland who reprised their roles as Mackenzie Hellstom and Brittany Hodges, respectively, are now coming back to The Young and the Restless for an indefinite run.
According to Soap Opera Digest, Brittany is now a top-notch attorney, something her portrayer, Lauren Woodland knows plenty about in that after leaving Y&R years ago, she became a legal eagle in real life.
Brittany will be back in Genoa City participating in a high-profile case. As viewers know, Mackenize was back with the key background information as to how J.T. (Thad Luckinbill) treated her during their marriage, which caused her to file for divorce, as Victoria (Amelia Heinle) was being abused by her ex.

Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Now that J. T. was murdered, how will Max figure into the equation moving forward?
Both women were back taping at the CBS studios starting a few weeks ago. Look for their scenes to begin to air sometime in June.
So, glad to know their is more Kelly and Lauren to come on Y&R? Comment below!
Sooo glad to have Brittany back in ‘our’ midst—-much, much happier to have Mac—-nothing against Kelly, but I wish it were Ashley!!
Having Mackenzie back tells me the women will be upfront for a long time..
Y&R has been running woman stories.. from Hillary to the gang of 4 ..
The men are getting the backseat, the women are driving.
Interesting way of putting it, SuzieQ….and very effective: Woman Power…about time!!
I love Y&R. I love the cast. Usually I love the stories BUT there is no reason for either one of these ladies to come back. Zero reason. A bloated cast leads to boring stories and useless scripts. I worry that after the Phelps run and then the Pratt run that Y&R could run the risk of losing their #1 status. Their stories have been limited. I am ready to see DAYS creep up on their coat tails. Keep in mind that many cast members from Y&R left a ways back for other networks. Many left to work with Ron Carlivati. And now — ahem — Ron has an Emmy under his wings. Send those characters into a week stay and get back to writing for characters that need a story.
You do have a point about plots losing both stamina and interest, Mateo. I suppose we get carried away when hearing that favorite characters are returning.
There are enough stories to focus on, I guess….
….I have this weird feeling, after Kyle’s neverending-soliloquy about his Herculian ego and all its trimmings, that he is Victor’s grandson……Did Dina do the dance with Victor all those years ago? Is Jack Victor’s son? Kyle is a viper. Everyone should watch his/her back. He has no honor; no integrity and no love for either family or friends ( if he even has any).
That’s a pursuable story, albeit Y&R will rock to high heaven…..change the entire face and premise of both the Abbots and the Newmans.
I, for one, do not know if I can handle it, LOL.
You can not change the history of the show for the sack of a storyline. Do not get Tracy involved either. She should remain an Abbott just like Jack should be.
@Cathy.
Hi, Cathy,
Oh, I agree. That’s why I said the history of Y&R will rock in a bad way…..every fan will be up in arms, including myself…..however, it would not surprise me if TPTB would go do far as to ‘rock the cradle’, as it were, making Billy the only true Abbott.
Makes sense to bring back Mackenzie as she is Katherine’s granddaughter and has history with other current characters. There are many possibilities for this character and I hope the writing team maximizes her.
Yeah, Iakovos: let’s see a wrong being righted, at long last……Mac, as the true Chancellor heir—no pretender to the ‘throne’. That’s what should happen….I can almost taste it.
Devon ( sophomoric ‘executive’, at best), the interloper gaining power, money and control has never sat well with me. Plus, Neil and the little Winters ( by Malcolm—let’s not ever forget that), and indirectly, Cane, reaping and enjoying the fruits of another.
Heiress…
i’m am SO with you in regards to Devon. So hard to believe he’s sitting on a fortune and playing businessman.
@Mark Y.
Yeah, Mark….good to hear from you….
Go figure….Devon comes from the gutter—-a drug-addicted mother. Yet, instead of thanking God and his lucky stars, he looks down is usurper’s nose on Hilary.
Now, there will be heck to pay, since there is no baby.
Where, oh, where did he get his business education and savoir-faire?
Happy to see both young ladies back on the canvass. Hoping they have a great storyline and Mac, Katherine granddaughter, should shake stuff up a the Chandler house.
Chancellor
I sure was glad to see Brittany back. Even more glad she’s coming in for a good run. I always liked that character.
How about bringing Ronan Malloy back, he could work for Paul or Take JT’s place as head of security at Newman. We need a new hot guy for , Mac or Victoria or , Mariah. Seems like her and Tessa are going nowhere.
How about bringing Scott back for Abby.
To many women, not enough guys to go around.
What about Raul?
With Nina , not far behind i hope. Bring Nina, Chance or Ronan back to fill up the Chancellor home. Throw Jill in once in a while to mix it up too. Maybe a Chance/Mac/ Billy/Phyliss story.?.. Jason Thompsons currently being wasted!
Oopsies, Damien….I meant Chance, not Lance. Thanks!!
Oh, yes, Karen…be still mine heart !!!!! But, I can only see Michelle Stafford with him. I, actually, want nuPhyllis to disappear….
How about Lance coming back? Gorgeous.
Never liked Scott. The actor did not fit the role.
I have been a long time viewer but this JT killing and cover-up is ridiculous who is writing this???? Almost embarrassing to watch and Victor and Nickie in an open marriage is disgusting. May be forced to quit watching..
Have to agree with you – to a point. The fact that “the four” don’t think that the cops and Victor’s men won’t trace him back to her house is ridiculous! PLUS… each one of those women are the WORST. LIARS. OF. ALL. TIME! Every time someone confronts them about J.T.’s whereabouts, they totally freeze… especially Sharon! She looks absolutely terrified… like a deer in the headlights!!! Nick is a dullard for being duped, once again!!! So funny and fun to watch, though! Guilty pleasures abound in Genoa City! 🙂
Oh, Kalamity….how right you are!!!!! I made such a comment with Harry, no sooner then when this idiotic travesty started….Phyllis’ brainstorming is/was dumbstorming. Nikki was defending her daughter. She stopped a would-be-murderer from hurting her. Plain and simple….stupid plot, stupid script, stupid characters.
This is like THE COMEDY OF ERRORS….funny to watch, indeed.LOL.
Another ridiculous factor? Who is Tracy’s father? Is it John? LOL.
Well, how delicious would it be if Billy turns out to be THE ONLY legitimate Abbott??
OH MY, I AGREE. AS A VIEWER OF MANY MANY YEARS I AM FINDING THESE PLOTS HARD TO WATCH…….THIS SHOW NEEDS A WHOLE NEW DIRECTION!!!!!!
I wrote a couple or several weeks ago; apparently under the wrong topic. Were the writers trying to remind us all we were watching a SOAP!. The whole thing regarding JT’s death was offensive. Although I am not through viewing all my recordings, the writing for Phyllis as been ludicrous and an embarrassment. It had better be a transition not possible under any other circumstance or the writer’s had better hold their heads in shame.
On the other hand TJ held an edge balance from the start. Possibly he could have moved either direction. Victor is displaying that, indeed, he can still act. Although it seems the escapades of Nikki and Victor may be coming, thankfully, to a halt, his disability felt real for me.
The woman who walked in as Mackenzie struck home for me, although, was there not another Mackenzie some years ago?
Still up in the air with new Jack’s son.
Mariah, for me, is kind of a glue that can hold things together. I hope she can stick around.
Best to all!
What…no Raul?!?!?
Heard Raul has been placed on recurring status.
Uh…OK.
I guess Brittany will be back to defend Victoria. Don’t know why Mac will be back.
Witness, maybe, Mo? Mac could enumerate all of JT’s ‘misdeeds’.
AMAZING! Loved that Brottany returnsd and is successful! While her talks with JT with Raul sounded more CONCEITED than “this is us”, Im hoping the story with Brittany leads to staying on show. She could partner with michael and maybe once his law firm will win somethjng.
As for Mac.. shes stronger this time around. The actress is stronger as well with acting. It would be fun to see Mac stay in GC as well and possibly interact woth more than Victoria or sidelines with Lily.
The show does need more friendships like the one abby has with Lily.
I hope Mac hooks up with Nicholas. Sharon is a bore.
Actually, I hope Nicholas hooks up with anyone other than Sharon.
Are they sure J.T. is dead? I half- way expect him to come out of the grave.
I think JT is dead however there is some big twist coming.
I have been saying that since this imbroglio started, Boop….he will appear, like a fantasm and scare the living caca out of Victoria? Nikki? Phyllis? Sharon?
Cathy is right, there will be a twist….but, it doesn’t mean JT isn’t it.
I think the twist will involve a loophole that–sadly– gets the women off the hook for his death. The seed was planted months ago when we saw JT had a “routine” check-up at the hospital. Then, it was just dropped. I think he’s been truly dying all along and ‘whatever it is’ made him snap. He’s been at death’s door– Nikki just pushed him through it sooner.
Hi, Ron,
I think you may be right….needless to say, there was no need for all this subterfuge, as Nikki was within her rights, to defend her daughter.
The writing, as it is, complicates ‘things’ for the sake of a prolonged plotline which serves no purpose….not as far as I can see, not unless TPTB have a surprising ‘agenda’ going on.
And, yes, Ron….I do believe that JT’s heart medication had a role to play with whatever was going on in his head. Perhaps he was in pain and possibly mixed drugs?
How does one make such a complete turnabout? Not the JT we knew and loved. Yet….we’re on Planet Soapland where black is white, yes is no, and vice versa.
Hi Celia —
Perhaps like “DALLAS” — JT’s dream?
Or, if it were Christmas like Scrooge’s dream? Victor did that once.
It would be painful for Paul to once again charge one of his friend. As loving viewers, we put up with a lot and give a lot back to the actors and writers that let us have such fun!
It has been seldom, over the years, when anger reigns. From this viewing point such anger arose when Jack was captured and tortured.
Stupidity is better than the above.
Going to finish my weekly viewing tomorrow, but this storyline was in the painful category without your idea for a retrieval!
Best —
Hey, Tani,
How are you, my friend? I would love for this stupid mess to be a dream. It seems that every character who is involved is not herself ( the women)….. a bit tetched in the head.
Amazingly, Nikki has become one frightened, burgeoning damsel in distress. Since when? What about Victoria…..a sheep?
And, why is Sharon slipping into her netherworld of horrors—yes, I do understand her guilt ( thanks to Phyllis and her lack of wisdom); however, TPTB are writing her down the path of digression, not progression.
Jack, as a captive, his torture, his returning as Marco ( LOL, was that fake Jack’s name?), was another farce.
I think I have lost count as to how many times I have said it, Tani……I can digest and willingly suspend a modicum of disbelief; but, too much of the same thing upsets my stomach. A dash of reality, once in a while, does the mind and body well.
Happy watching,
Stay well….until next time…..
Wait!!!!!!!!!!! JT WAS MURDERED?!?!?!? We got rid of cable and I haven’t been able to watch Y&R for a while now! I stopped being able to watch about the time Chloe was knocking people unconscious for finding out she murdered Adam. Wow. I’m upset.
Hi, Ashleigh,
How are you? I think the last time I saw your name was just before you had your baby…..boy or girl? Much happiness!!
You have so much on which to catch-up, Ashleigh.
Everyone, except Kevin and Victor, thinks Chloe is dead. She and Kevin have left GC……Did you know thar Bella turned out to be Kevin’s? Well, everyone thinks Kevin left with his daughter to escape the pain of losing Chloe….but, they are all together….forgot where.
JT returned; got back together with Victoria….In a nutshell, he turned out to be a wife-beater; tried to kill Victor and Victoria ….Nikki clocked him over the head when walking in on him trying to strangle Victoria…. and following Phyllis’ distorted advice, Nikki, Vic, Phyllis and Sharon stupidly buried him in ‘Catherine’s Park’.
A few of us think JT isn’t dead…..we shall see.
Later….
I really feel sorry for Sharon. She is once again lying to Nick about the night of JT’s death. I do think that Sharon will eventually confide in Nick and he will not blame her for hiding the truth because his mother can be charged with murder. Just hope this story line does not drag on. I for one am disappointed how they handled it. I did not mind the domestic violence storyline but they could of handled it differently.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).
On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.
Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC
HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT
Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”
Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”
Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Photo: ABC
DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES
In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”
Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”
You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.
Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’

While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.
According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.
Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene, Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera who’s directing the pic also has a part in the film.
WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?
Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they won’t let you leave. DEIFY is coming…”
The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”
MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE
In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.
Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.
So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.
However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.
Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC
FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG
Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!
Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”
MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL
Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).
Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI
PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY
Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”
It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”
A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons
IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”
He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”
Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.”
So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.
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