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Maria Arena Bell & Hogan Sheffer fess up to the reason behind Y&R's doppelgangers!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Genoa City citizens, and fans of the number one soap, The Young and the Restless have had several bouts of seeing double recently, with both the Lauren/Sarah Doppelganger story, and the Emily/Patty Doppelganger story. But in a new and revealing interview with TV Guide Canada’s, Nelson Branco, Y&R’s head scribes, Maria Arena Bell and Hogan Sheffer sat down for a joint interview about all the on-screen happenings and recent backstage casting. Here is an excerpt about the some of the online flack the duo have taken for to much duality at one time!
Maria Arena Bell on why so many doppelgangers: “Let me tell you what’s funny about that. Someone in the soap press [Soap Opera Digest’s Carolyn Hinsey] recently wrote, “Did you guys realize that you have two doppelgangers airing at once?” Yeah, we did [laughs]! It was intentional. The two stories are intertwined. The Sarah and Patty storylines will be a rapid-fire denouement. It gave us an opportunity to tell a fun, clever and interesting culmination of Patty’s story and the pseudo reemergence of Sheila. It gave Tracey Bregman an opportunity to stretch herself as an actress and show a different side, a darker side, in this dual role. It’s a very short arc. But what it gives the audience is a tour-de-force performance from Tracey. You’ll see a very fun explosion this week. Tracey shouldn’t just win an Emmy Award for this portrayal, she should win an Oscar! You’ll see! As for viewer dissatisfaction, I want to say I do visit the message boards. I do listen to our fans and critics. Sometimes when you’re watching a storyline unfold, you don’t know where it’s going and you get understandably frustrated. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means people are watching and talking about our show. I’d be more concerned if fans weren’t talking about our show! A perfect example of that is the Adam Newman storyline. Everyone complained about Adam getting away with all his evildoings, yet [we surged almost 300,000 viewers in the ratings the week he was murdered — which proved at the end of the day that the audience really loved the story]. We always ensure there is a great payoff in all of our stories. Just trust us.”
It looks like the current run of Lucas Adams (Noah) and Tamara Braun (Sienna) on The Young and the Restless is coming to an end, after the Monday, August 3 edition of the CBS daytime drama revealed that Noah and Sienna are leaving Genoa City and heading back to Los Angeles.
In the storyline, Noah informed his mother, Sharon (Sharon Case) and half-sister Mariah (Camryn Grimes) that he and Sienna made the decision to move back to the West Coast to put distance between themselves and Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Although Noah did not say it was a permanent move, he did assure his mom that once Matt is hopefully gone from Genoa City they could return.
However, as previewed already on the video teaser for this week’s episodes of Y&R (see below), it appears Noah left Genoa City’s The Shadow Room to be run by a returning Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). So with that, coupled with today’s episode, it would appear the move could wind up being more permanent.
Photo: JPI
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Adams made his Y&R debut on November 4, 2025 as the successor to Rory Gibson who last played Noah on-screen in April of 2023. Earlier in 2025, Gibson took over the role of Michael Corinthos on Genera Hospital replacing Chad Duell, who stepped away from the part after 15 years.
Braun who played Adam’s mother on Days of Our Lives when she was Ava Vitali and he was Tripp Dalton, first appeared on Y&R back on October 14, 2025, where we soon learned she had become Noah’s lover as the new character, Sienna Bacall. It should be noted, Adams was on contract with the number #1 soap, while Braun has been on recurring status.
With Josh Griffith now exited as head writer of The Young and the Restless, and the newly announced co-head writing team of Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor having taken his place and starting their new tenure this week, it will be interesting to see how the duo resets the show, and if a Noah and Sienna return is in the cards for the future or not.
So, what do you think about the seeming departures of Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun from The Young and the Restless? Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out our recent live chat with Tamara and Lucas on the Michael Fairman Channel.
Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.
The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.
The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”
Photo: ABC
ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW
As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.
O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”
Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”
You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.
Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.
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General Hospital Fan Club Weekend brought out many of your favorites to the four day event; with the main cast gathering on Saturday, August 1. Fans near and far attended the weekend held this year at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Whether it be the main cast event or the smaller more intimate events featuring two or three cast members a great time was had by all.
Some of the cast participating in the main cast event included: Cyrus Hobbi (Yuri), Gary James Fuller (James), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Viron Weaver (Wiley), Paige Herschell (Jacinda), Chris McKenna (Brennan), Josh Kelly (Cody), Kayden Brenna Tokarsi (Scout), Cassandra James (Terry), Laura Wright (Carly), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Rick Hearst (Ric), Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco), and Chloe Lanier (ex-Nelle).
In addition to, Van Hansis (Lucas), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Ryan Paevey (ex-Cassius), Easton Rocket Sweda (Leo), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kate Mansi (ex-Kristina), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Cynthia Watros (Nina), Kristina Wagner (Felicia) and more.
Take a look at some of the snaps from the main event arrivals below:
Photo: HutchinsPhoroi
GH’s Rick Hearst with on-screen daughter, Kristen Vaganos, plus Nancy Lee Grahn, and Kate Mansi.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Maurice Benard on-hand to meet the fans.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto.com
Jack Brennan in the house … Chris McKenna.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Adrian Anchondo, Van Hansis and Anchondo’s boyfriend, Days of Our Lives, Colton Little.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Josh Kelly and his gal, the former Nelle Benson of Port Charles, Chloe Lanier.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Who is James’ father? Not Cassius or Spinelli, actually. Actors Gary James Fuller, Ryan Paevey and Bradford Anderson!
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
One of General Hospital’s newest cast members, Kayden Brenna Tokarski attends her first GHFCW event.
Check out some more arrival images featuring: Laura Wright (Carly), Cassandra James (Terry), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) and more in the gallery below.
Michael Fairman TV will be adding more images to this post in the day ahead.
So, were you glad to see so many of your GH favorites attending this year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend? Let us know via the comment section.
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Sheffer, MAB and Nelson Branco have been vilified online for this interview.
It’s on the goldderby forums and daytime confidential boards.
My critiques are there, but to Sheffer’s credit, his Y&R is pushing the envelope and not doing customry things soaps do, like on boring B&B.
I have to agree with MANY of the derogatory comments on other boards in regard to this interview. These writers are so out of touch with what the viewers want. While the Patty/Emily required MAJOR suspension of disbelief, the Lauren/Sara story was just plain dumb. Tracy Bregman made gold out of the crap she was handed, as well as the rest of the cast involved in this beyond ludicrous storyline. My gripe is that what people want are the character driven storylines that made soaps so great. Now it seems its just one crazy plot device after another.
Bold and the Beautiful is barely watchable these days becasue they recycle the same storylines year after year, just using different characters. Now we are going to be tortured by the Bridget/Owen baby for months on end, even though we all know how thats going to turn out.
I want to see storylines on Y&R that deal with the Victor Vs Tucker and Katherine getting her company back. Hell, I welcome the Tucker/Ashley/Neil triangle!
Just listen to what the people want and they will watch, dont turn this once great show into a second rate Passions.
B&B never taps into its history. It completely ignores it when the show’s history could be mined for good storylines. Instead it’s 1 rewrite after the next.
Bridget lost Nicole, had a freaking surrogate that lost her baby, and now that Bridget’s older, she’s pregnant!
Can you imagine the lengths Nelson Branco is going to promote this storyline? He just named Jackie Marone one of the best mothers on soaps! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Jackie lied to Nick abt Ridge Junior being his child. Jackie lied to Nick abt her prostitution and had her “johns” over at their house while Nick, a child at the time, was present in the house. Jackie even pushed Nick to reunite w/ Bridget, despite knowing that HOwen and Bridget were making strides as a couple since jackie obviously put her own selfish, sexual needs over Nick and Bridget breaking their cycle of abuse caused by Nick’s infidelities. And now, Jackie is lying to Nick and forcing Bridget to lie abt the miracle baby, all so Jackie can stay in her marriage to her manwhore. Yet, Nick’s children have been proven to be not his (Ridge Junior, Dino) and he’s lost so many babies (Nicole, miracle baby w/ Katie, surrogate baby)! Jackie’s one of the worst mothers, lying abt the paternity is soooooo overdone, and this is all to pair Nick w/ Aggie.
Y&R and B&B are awful soaps. MAB and Brad need to step down, but that will never happen since MAB married into the Bell dynasty and Brad will never step down bec of his ego and quest for more Emmys.
The reason MAB gave for all of the doubles on Y&R still did not satisfy me. Makes for very dull and boring and brings nothing to the table. I have been with the show much too long to just accept anything. I am sure I do not share these feelings by myself. We . tje voewers. want more than we have been getting lately. I want the edge-of-your- seat storylines back and the wonderful Friday cliffhangers. After you get used to the best of the best –that is all you will ever want. I speak for a lot of viewers on this one.
If MAB really reads the message boards then she should know how much we want Victoria R. back!!!!
and on B&B, I wanna know how Brooke’s blond haired, blue eyed sister gave birth 2 a darkskinned man!!! and his “dad” just comes OUT OF NOWHERE! no one even remembers you dating a Black man, much less being PREGNANT by one and now let’s just pop this unimaginable storyline in… i was insulted, not only as a Black viewer at the fact that adding Black characters to the plot was so thoughtless and haphazard, but that the writers think the viewers are that damn dumb…
as for the doppleganger stories, DUMB!!! you REALLY need to listen to the fans! Victoria Rowell made a good point on Mo’Nique’s show… Y&R is #1 among Black women, but we are the MOST underrepresented group on the show! Rowell’s Drucilla brought depth, passion and a great story to the show… I have been watching the show since I was 3 years old with my mother! I am now 30, my mother has passed and it’s a way I feel close 2 her everyday, by watching the show. But truly? more and more, my friends are starting 2 turn away from the show… BRING DRU BACK! PHICK SUCKS as a couple, Sharon NEEDS Dru and so does Lily… GET IT 2GETHER Maria Arena Bell!
Dear Maria, Eric Roberts is one of the most interesting characters on Y& R. I think his charcter could evolve into a permanent role. He’s always been one of my favorite ‘macho actors. Thanks for giving him a leave of absence from the show so he could straighten himself out. I went through rehab a few times myself so I know the painful drill. Well take care and HSPPY NEW YEAR. Bob “Ziggy” Anderson
We Need to have Nick & Phyllis back to together because they have a lot of chemistry and a lot of people will watch the show more like people like my age like 18-29.
Go phick forever