Robert Newman, best known to daytime soap fans as Josh Lewis on Guiding Light, sat down earlier this week for a wide-ranging interview on his career with Lauren Van Hemert via her You Tube Channel.

The timing of the posting of the interview as in-line with the date GL was officially canceled back on April 1, 2009.  The series began its historic run on TV from radio back on June 30, 1952, and ultimately aired its final episode on September 18, 2009.

Photo: JPI

From 1980 to 2009, Robert was one of the mainstays and key leading men of Springfield, and of course, the Josh and Reva (Kim Zimmer) love story is one of the most popular ever in the annals of daytime drama.

Right off at the top of the interview; Hemert noted that what she was asked most by fans of Newman’s and GL’s, when and if there will ever be a Guiding Light on-screen reunion.

Newman responded to the question: “I get that a lot.  That question is unfortunately in the hands of Procter and Gamble more than anything else … and they made it very clear over the years that they’re just not going to release the characters and copyrights to the show.”

Robert also added, “In terms of what you are talking about where there might be some sort of production, where there’s an actual reunion, and we see where Josh and Reva are today and that kind of thing (on their probably 15th marriage) … unless Procter and Gamble is somehow willing to shake loose the rights to the show, I don’t see it happening.”

Watch the full interview with the talented Mr. Newman below.

Then let us know, since P&G has made it very clear for the last several years they are out of the soap business completely, do you think its time they just sell the rights so viewers can see some sort of reboot down the line, especially for a show as beloved as Guiding Light? Comment below.

Best known as the host of Inside the Actors Studio, James Lipton, passed away on March 2nd from bladder cancer.  Lipton was 93.

But in addition for making his mark from 1994 to 2018 interviewing so many famous actors and celebrities, Lipton has quite the daytime soap background in his illustrious career.

He started acting on Guiding Light, playing Dr .Dick Grant, but then soon worked his way up to becoming the head writer of the series in 1952.

Throughout the next two decades, Lipton served as head writer for Another World, The Best of Everything (which he helped create) and Return to Peyton Place. He also wrote for The Edge of Night.  Later from 1972 and 1974, Lipton not only worked as the head writer forThe Doctors but also on Return to Peyton Place.  His last soap writing gig was on Capitol in the mid-80’s

In 2016, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys and a Critics’ Choice Award for best reality show host.

Lipton passed away early Monday at his home in Manhattan as his wife, Kedakai Mercedes Lipton related to The Hollywood Reporter.

Share your condolences on the passing of James Lipton via the comment section below.

More upsetting news involving former ABC and CMT’s Nashville star (Ex-Juliette Barnes), Hayden Panettiere.  According to various reports, the actress was punched by her boyfriend Brian Hickerson with a closed fist in an incident that occurred in Wyoming, over the Valentine’s Day weekend.  He was arrested around 2:30am on February 14th.

According to TMZ: the police report said that Hayden revealed that she and Brian were in their bedroom when he started throwing her around and punched her.  The Teton County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a disturbance at a private residence. That caller said an intoxicated male was locked out of the home because he punched his girlfriend in the face.

Pantierre’s face was red and swollen, and she also had a scrape and swelling on her left hand; which she believed came from Hickerson’s watch during the altercation.  Deputies then decided to book Hickerson for domestic battery. He was also hit with a second charge of interfering with a police officer for allegedly refusing to identify himself.

Things looked like they had taken a turn for the better before the incident, noting that the couple moved past another altercation previously from 2019.  That case was dismissed, although he has left red marks on Pantierre’s body, because they could not find a “material witness”.

Hayden and Brian have been dating since 2018.  Daytime fans remember first seeing Hayden as a young Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light.  She played Juliette on Nashville from 2012-2018.

So what do you think about the latest incident involving Hayden? Comment below.