“Microdramas are the natural evolution of the soap opera, a format pioneered by P&G decades ago,” said Jonas Barnes, Founder of Pixie USA, a microdrama Studio for Brands with Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. “Now, we’re proud to carry that torch into a new era with Native—one of the most innovative brands in hair and personal care. Together, we’re defining the future of entertainment-led marketing.”
Breaking News
P&G Studios Gets Into Microsoaps with ‘The Golden Pear Affair” Starring Nick Ritacco and Alyona Real
What started as bringing the first network daytime drama in over 25 years to life with CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates, P&G Studios is now getting into the hot trend of the microdramas and vertical shorts.
Native, the personal care brand marketed by Procter & Gamble, is producing a 50-episode microdrama inspired by soap opera, entitled, The Golden Pear Affair. It will premiere early in 2026 across major social platforms before expanding into a proprietary app experience. The launch will follow Native introducing a limited-edition Global Flavors collection on its website and at Target later in December.
The Golden Pear Affair stars two microdrama and vertical shorts fan favorites, Nick Ritacco and Alyona Real. A trailer for The Golden Pear Affair will drop in January, with the series rolling out not long after. The loglines for the microsoap promise an adventure-romance packed with cliffhangers and thematic inspiration from Native’s commitment to using clean ingredients. “Every scent hides a secret,” it says in the key art.

Photo: P&G Studios
The series was made in collaboration with P&G Studios, Dentsu Entertainment and Pixie USA. “This microsoap showcases our commitment to innovation as we strive to delight consumers while fueling growth for Native,” said Anna Saalfeld, head of P&G Studios “By blending classic brand storytelling with the ever-evolving landscape of mobile entertainment, we’re honoring the soap opera format P&G helped pioneer and optimizing it for a vertical, social-first world.”
Parent P&G, which acquired Native in 2017, is aligning the concept with a history of marketing around soap operas. The company helped innovate the sponsorship model for pre-war radio soaps and was major in broadcast television for decades with the their soaps, Another World, As the World Turns, Guiding Light, Search for For Tomorrow, The Edge of Night, Texas, and Somerset to name but a few.
A few months back, the Michael Fairman Channel welcomed Nick Ritacco and three of the other leading men in the Vertical/Microdrama space including: General Hospital alum, Robert Palmer Watkins (ex-Dillon Quartermaine), Eric Guilmette and Sam Myerson. You can check that out below.
So, excited to hear that P&G studios is expanding its soap reach with the hottest trend of short reel microdramas on your phones? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
So all that was old becomes new again. It’s great to see Proctor and Gamble investing in soaps again. For those who love soap operas which only a couple of years ago was thought to be dead this is great news But its also bittersweet that so many of the great actors, writers and producers who helped build the genre are no longer with us to see the resurrection.
Wish they would bring back some of the old soaps, especially Guiding Light!
Breaking News
Jennifer Harmon, ‘One Life to Live’s’ Cathy Craig, and ‘How to Survive a Marriage’ Star, Dead at 82
Sad news to report for the One Life to Live family. Actress Jennifer Harmon who was the last actress to play the emotionally troubled Cathy Craig has passed away. Harmon, who also starred on the defunct NBC soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage, died in New York on May 9 at the age of 82. Harmon’s family made the announcement.
Jennifer was the fifth actress to play One Life to Live’s Cathy, following Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt, Jane Alice Brandon and Dorrie Kavanaugh. During her two year tenure with the soap, from 1976 through 1978, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the 5th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1978. The award that year went to Another World’s Laurie Heineman (ex-Sharlene Frame).
In her soap career, not only did Harmon have major success as Cathy on One Life to Live, but she starred on NBC’s new soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage as Chris Kirby and stayed with the series through its entire run which lasted just over a year from 1974-1975.

Photo: NBC
How to Survive a Marriage told the story of divorced couple as they battle for custody of their daughter, and as the mom enters the workforce. In the span of a year, Chris got divorced, remarried and battled alcoholism. Rosemary Prinz was the featured name in the cast.
On One Life to Live, Cathy was the nemesis of Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak). Cathy blamed the wealthy Viki for the accident that killed her child Megan Craig Riley (even though the baby has a congenital heart defect and her life expectancy was short). So, she set out to make Viki’s life hell by kidnapping Viki and Joe’s child, Kevin.
Later, Jennifer would return to One Life to Live in the 90s to play Viki’s attorney in a new role, went on to play Jean Weatherill on Guiding Light in 1991 and Lucretia Jones on Loving in 1995. Her primetime TV credits included: Barnaby Jones, Dallas, The White Shadow, St. Elsewhere, Homicide: Life on the Street, Oz, Rescue Me and The Good Wife.
Harmon was also known as one of the most accomplished stage actresses on Broadway having appeared over 21 times in different productions spanning nearly 50 years including in plays of the works of legendary playwrights: Noël Coward, Wendy Wasserstein, Lillian Hellman, Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and Jon Robin Baitz. Throughout her theatre career she was was known as a reliable actress, and at times was an understudy for the likes of: Stockard Channing, Judi Dench, Jessica Lange, Blythe Danner and Jessica Lange.
Share your remembrances of Jennifer Harmon on One Life to Live, How to Survive a Marriage, and more, in the comment section below.
Breaking News
‘EastEnders’ Wins Best Soap at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards
Our friends from across the pond, BBC One’s EastEnders took home Best Soap honors at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards in London, England on Sunday, May 10.
Just last year, EastEnders celebrated 40 years on television and has seen a resurgence. In attendance were cast members: Michelle Collins, Jessie Wallace, Diane Parish, and Aaron Thiara, as well former executive producer Chris Clenshaw and his successor, current showrunner Ben Wadey.
EastEnders was nominated in the category along with their rivals, Casualty and Coronation Street. Accepting on stage was 20-year veteran of the series, Diane Parish, who paid tribute to all the hard working people in front of the camera and behind the scenes. “It’s not easy doing a soap, but we manage to make it work,” shared Parish.

Courtesy/BBCOne
A BIG RETURN AND MEDICAL CRISIS IN STORY AHEAD
Recently, it was confirmed that in honor of her two decades with the show, Parish’s character, Denise Fox, is set for a major storyline this year, when she is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a blood cancer.
And there’s more! In the winner’s press room, Ben Wadey shared there is a major return in store teasing,“I would keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks, there might be some surprises on the horizon.”
On the official EastEnders Instagram account it also shared, “EastEnders has gone and won the Soap award at the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards! 🎉🥳🍾🙌What a huge honour, we truly couldn’t be prouder. Thank you BAFTA the whole cast and crew will be holding this one high when it makes it way home to Walford.”

Photo: EastEnders
BAFTA TV AWARD HISTORY IS MADE
Adolescence, the Netflix drama that took home Emmys and Golden Globes stateside, made BAFTA TV history during the ceremony winning four awards for the first time ever. Stephen Graham finally took home the coveted Leading Actor category in what was his 8th attempt to win a BAFTA in the fields of both TV and motion pictures.
The series is Netflix’s second most-watched English-language show of all time, and won BAFTA’s for Limited Drama and Supporting Actor and Actress for Owen Cooper and Christine Tremarco.
For a complete list of all the winners, click here.
So, happy to hear EastEnders won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Soap? If you catch EastEnders, who do you think might be returning on the horizon as teased by the series current EP? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
Breaking News
‘The Price is Right’ Contestant Wins Largest Prize in a Single Pricing Game in the 54-Year history of the Daytime Game Show on CBS
On the Friday, May 8 Mother’s Day episode of The Price is Right, a retired veteran won over $240,000 in cash and prizes making her takeaway the largest prize ever won in a single pricing game in the 54-year history of the daytime version of the CBS game show.
The contestant, “Vanesa from Virginia” bested the previous record of $210,000 in a single pricing game of Cliffhangers set over a decade ago in 2016. The moment occurred when Vanesa played “The Lion’s Share,” the new high,” the new high-stakes branded game that debuted this season through a partnership with BetMGM.
In the game, contestants have to guess the prices of grocery items to earn up to five balls. Each ball is then dropped into a wind tunnel, revealing a hidden prize amount. After each reveal, contestants face a tense decision to walk away with their current winnings or risk it all to continue.

Photo: CBS
Vanesa went for the gusto! She didn’t hesitate and pushed forward through every round, ultimately revealing the prizes for all five balls, winning $227,500 in cash and a luxury trip for two to Morocco valued at $12,650. Those impressive winning amounted to $240,150 as her daughter cheered her on from the audience.
According to BetMGM and TPIR producers, Fremantle, “The Lion’s Share” is the first custom-branded game in the show’s history, and the first new pricing game on the show since 2021. BetMGM and Fremantle sealed a multi-year deal last year that lends The Price is Right and Family Feud intellectual property (IP) rights for slots, table games and non-traditional casino games.
The Price is Right is broadcast weekdays on CBS and streams on Paramount+* (11:00 AM-12:00 PM, ET/10:00-11:00 AM, PT). John Quinn is the executive producer. Drew Carey is the host.
So, what do you think of Vanesa from Virginia’s huge win on The Price is Right? Do you watch the show weekdays? Let us know via the comment section. But first, watch how it all happens below!
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