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Sally Sussman Officially Confirmed As Head Writer At The Young and the Restless!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: SSussmanFacebook/Getty

Photo: SSussmanFacebook/Getty

It’s official! Sally Sussman is the new head writer of The Young and the Restless, replacing exiting Chuck Pratt Jr.!  A press release with the announcement today by Steve Kent, senior executive vice president of programming for Sony Pictures Television is below!

“Sally was part of the team that first brought Y&R to its long-standing position as America’s #1 daytime drama and brings with her years of experience writing serialized storylines,” said Kent.  “Her long-standing familiarity with the citizens of Genoa City and her great storytelling make her a perfect choice to take the reins at Y&R.”

“We are thrilled to have Sally return to The Young and The Restless, both as an award-winning writer, and someone who is passionate about honoring the legacy of the series with character driven story,” added Angelica McDaniel, Executive Vice President, Daytime Programs and Syndicated Program Development, CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Distribution. “The powerhouse partnership of Sally and Mal Young, our talented new Executive Producer, sets an even brighter course for daytime’s #1 drama.”

Sally Sussman has extensive writing experience on both episodic television series as well as daytime dramas.  After working for several years as a writer on various episodic television series, Sussman then went to work with William J. Bell on The Young and the Restless. She was with the show for five years as its Story Consultant and Associate Head Writer, and was nominated for three Emmy Awards. She then created the ground breaking daytime drama Generations for Brandon Tartikoff and NBC, and served as Head Writer and Executive Producer on the series.  After creating and writing a nighttime serial for Aaron Spelling as well as writing several television movies, Sussman returned to daytime television and joined Days of our Lives as its Head Writer, winning the show’s first ever Writers’ Guild of America Award and earning two more Emmy nominations. She then served as Executive Producer and Head Writer of MTV’s first foray into a late night serial with the 65 episode series “Spyder Games,” earning another Emmy Award nomination.   After a short break, Sussman returned to The Young and the Restless for another stint as Story Consultant and Co-Head Writer, winning her second Writers’ Guild of America Award and an Emmy Award. Most recently, Sussman completed her first documentary feature, Midnight Return: The Story of Billy Hayes and Turkey, which had its World Premiere as part of Cannes Classics at the Festival De Cannes 2016.

So, what do you think of the news of Sally Sussman returning to Y&R and as head writer of the top-rated soap? Comment below!

 

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Best news out of Genoa City in a long time!

I hope Sally reads ALL these recent comments by the fans. Get a bird’s eye view, as it were.

Does this mean old school Y&R is on its way back?

AT LAST. (singing the song in my head as well) Sense prevails in the management ranks and the two who seemed hell bent to destroy the story-telling legacy of YR are gone for good. Now maybe fans who stuck with the show when it seems all the female characters were totally trashed as characters with a thread of history which was totally ignored for several years of painful, ridiculous plots, will all see again the show that IS the Bill Bell legacy of character driven drama. I am very, very glad to read this shift in the structure of who will be guiding the writers for the hours of YR when the shift will definitely be noticeable as the themes, story lines finally change back to being true to characters. Bill Bell is smiling now.

Beyond thrilled that Sally is back at #YR!!! Now, let’s get rid of some dead weight on the show and bring it back to its glory days!

taken; from Wiki

The Young and the Restless
Associate Head Writer: June 10, 2005 – November 2006
Breakdown Writer: June 10, 2005 – November 2006
Writer: 1984 – 1988
Storyline Consultant: 1983-1987 (hired by William J. Bell), May 17, 2005 – May 12, 2006 (hired by John F. Smith)

Yes yes, terrific news. Y&R will get better storylines now. I always liked Sally.

Do I hear an AMEN? So ecstatic to hear this news…Oh how I pray that this will turn this show around and get back to it’s GLORY DAYS…sorry to sound like a broken record but this is the way I feel and I think from reading a lot of comments on this post that a lot of people feel this way…

after 10 + years of torture from past hack writers lml, mab( sharon/ victor year) and now pratt….
…. the real y n r is back in the house!!!
thank you powers that be!!!
pls bring back faves and return currents to the characters and stories they deserve sally!!!…
ashley and lauren need a story!
bring back jack and michaels edge!
nina needs to return to give jill a real arch nemesis..
the abbotts need traci!
victor needs to show some compassion and stop his evil ways for a moment
sharon and nick need to make their way back together as the super couple they are
olivia needs to come back to support the winters
‘you know bring back the real genoa city!!!

OK – I KNOW BELIEVE IN GOD!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Bring on the drama, Sally!!

Great News!!!

Y&R is definitely on the right track.

Versus GH, which is basically muddling along while FV slowly kills it.

I’m not sure it’s Frank so much as Jean and Shelly who have proven once again they can’t write intriguing stories. Their time at Y&R should have been a sign for GH that they can not be trusted to helm the creative direction of the show.

I don’t know what this means for Y&R. She seems to have an impressive resume. I guess we’ll see.

Great news! I’m already playing catch up so I can enjoy her stories. Bill Bell must be smiling on this. Can hardly wait!

HIP.HIP HOORAY HIP HIP HOORAY HIP HIP HOOOOORAYYYY!!!!! That’s all y’all I’m done HIP HIP HOORAY! Now I’m done.

The Best news of the Year! I’m so excited to have a writer that will honor Y&R’s legacy and is familiar with the characters. There is a God!

Maybe she will give Jack back his manhood!

Good news— let us hope CBS will actually give her the time to craft the stories soap viewers long to see– this is the first writing change that has me hopeful–and I look forward to making Y&R my must watch everyday soap again.

Whoo hoo! There is a Y&R God!

I’m so grateful that Sally is coming back to Y&R. I think Mal is the right EP, I think Sally will be the right Head Writer. I have hope for the first time in years that Y&R will now head in the correct direction! Let’s just hope she cans some of those sorry hacks that were working for Pratt.

Maybe the storylines will get endings now!

I remember a soap that she created and was a head writer of that existed in the late 80’s early 90’s . I think it lasted 2 or 3 years before cancellation . the soap was called ” Generations ” and ran on nbc . it was about a black family and a white family . kristoff st john started there . I felt it carried humanity and spoke so much about american history and the history of black people in this country . But Generations failed to deliver in terms of romance , love , mystery , emotionality , action , adventure . The key ingredients that make a soap great weren’t there or rather they were dumbed down and very weak . I am very worried that she is head writer of young and restless as i feel that we want a soap that is exciting to watch and i don’t think we will get that . Generations was very sociological and young and restless should not be in 2016 a purely driven sociological show . It is a soap opera ! I would have wanted a writer who had worked closely with bill bell especially in the early days of the show . My choice would have gone to Kay Alden instead . A head writing ticket made of Maria Arena Bell and Kay Alden would have made the show very interesting to watch . Maria had worked a lot with bill both on young but on bold as well . I feel that we the viewers want to be excited watching our soap . I loved the Ricky Williams story , the gaslighting of Ashley by Adam and the loss of the baby , Skye and the volcano , the story arcs with crazy Patty , the diane murder , Marge and Katherine … when these stories aired myself and friends of mine were watching or recording the show every day ! We found it exciting and we couldn’t get enough . I am afraid that Sally sussman will fail to deliver these types of stories that the show needs . I am worried when i look at Generations .

I would say that if Chuck Pratt got a chance then Sally Sussman more than deserves another crack at the show, and she knows what she’s doing, I truly believe that, and I don’t think she would write Y&R like she used to write Generations, that was decades ago, and some writers actually grow, and I believe she is in the growing category. Some go from bad to ok, some go from good to great, I think that she is already great and will continue greatness from her track record on Days, that’s what I recommend watching to get a feel for her work, and the Y&R episodes she worked on, her track record speaks for itself, but give her at least 6 months to clean up that huge mess, she wasn’t handed a perfect show and she’s got her work cut out for her, but I believe she will not only rise to the occasion, but she will exceed them. I have a great feeling about Y&R that I haven’t had in years. It has the right producer, and the right writer, so I’m just going to let it fall back into place. She does write action, look at Sami’s execution years ago, that was wild as hell. I understand your hesitance, but she’s a different caliber than the past 3 or 4 writing teams.

and we see what happens when a soap focuses on fantasy alone…big loud pointless stunts…and disregard for the actual word …drama.. Generations was a good show and critically acclaimed…there was just a glut of shows and a push to be over the top..i watched from day one to the end..Viveca Fox started there too and Kelly Rutherford..and the fabulous jonelle alan…her history and knowledge and writing expertise are sorely missed..and just what is needed…people will complain but i guarantee the numbers will go up…hope you give her a chance and watch.

Dante, I totally agree.

the below reply is actually to you nicholas in regards to your well put comment. I get it but it can’t be all that all the time. Back in the day Harding Lemay eschewed all that over wrought drama for character driven stories on Another World that drove the ratings straight to the top.

Generations was generations ago!

Her best and brightest accomplishment in my books was creating, writing and producing Generations, a show I loved so much, from beginning to end.

When oh when will General Hospital drop its current head writing team? Yup, they need to go.

If they dont, it tells me ABC wants out of the soap biz!

This is just flat out good news!!! She writes with humanity and heart! But her work on Generations proves she can also do some fun, far out stuff! I am shocked and happy that she gets this opportunity!!

She’s great!

If she brings back the balance and fairness so the characters of YR get to be on screen instead of backburned like so much garbage i will back her. I withhold all judgement been burned by MAB and CP cant stand another let down. Barely watch now so lets see how she handles the characters and if she is going to share the screen time with all or just her favs…Lauren/Michael Baldwin have been my favorite couple since 2004 I love them and they have been badly treated by MAB and CP so lets wait and see

OK,
don’t throw shoes at me, but
Isn’t she like 70?
Why oh why can’t there be young 30-40yrs old 21st century writers, just for one soap..
I really would like new youngblood writers, just once..
I’m sure she will bring back the 80’s and do a good job.
looking forward to the new writing..

((However , I was happy with Pratt))

I’m not sure Pratt was a spring chicken either, he’s 61, and Agnes Nixon is older than all of them, and made a cutting edge All my children on line. I get what you’re saying, but she at least deserves a chance, in my opinion, and youth doesn’t always guarantee great, up to date stories, or respect for the source material. Pratt was/is an acquired taste and I think with all his weekly explosions he is better suited for night time work, he works much better with fewer episodes and is way better at action shows, that are light on character development and heavy on shocks and surprises. I think Pratt just went back to what he does best, but that’s just me. I’m giving her 6-8 months to clean up the mess and reboot the show, but I have a feeling she’s the one to bring it back. She’s overdue, and should’ve been there in 2014, but they went with Pratt for some reason. Maybe some new young writers will be part of her team and they can be her proteges, just like she was with the great Bill Bell; it’s just too early to tell who else will be there with her.

She’s 60.

This is so exciting! I hope we see better storylines that don’t center around recycled nonsense (doppelgängers, babies who can’t seem to stay with their mothers once the umbilical cord is cut) and an egomaniac who gets mentally ill women like Sharon, Patty, Kelly, Chloe to do his dirty work while he remains unscathed. The Y and R is so much more than storylines revolving around Victor’s “love” for his family that always ends in horror for which he never pays.

This is really good news! Combine this with the new WP, and Y&R will continue to get better and better.
I have already noticed huge improvements with the writing and the direction.

Best news I heard all day! Now maybe the show will return to what it once was. I see positive changes since Mal Young was named EP, and now with Sussman returning, it should be even better. I know Bill Bell is smiling from above! He’d be very proud that she’s taking over the soap he created. CBS and Sony did a good thing by hiring her back.

I heard/read.. some fans of Days were not happy with her writing..

This is good news.

I hope it means even better news for Eileen Davidson (Ashley). I believe she was involved in bringing the Abbotts to the show and that she was working for DAYS in the 90’s when Davidson was on that show and used heavily. This leads me to guess that she and Davidson have a good working relationship and that she might get the value of Ashley.

Ashley has been completely underused in Davidson’s current stint on Y&R and the writing for her in the other plots in the past decade has been sub-par. I’d like to see a writer focus on the character (give her an age appropriate new beau; make her a strong businesswoman again) and let her drive some of the plots. Ashley has been nothing more than a prop for Abby and Jack for the last two years.

I’ve always liked the Jack-Ashley dynamic. They both love their father, love their family but also realize each other’s weaknesses. It is a fairly realistic sibling relationship. Somewhere in the past decade, the writers have reduced Ashley to a supporting role for Jack, rather than being an “equal” player in plots.

Eileen Davidson may be getting a little older (like the rest of us) but she still looks fantastic, maybe even better than she did 25 years ago (unlike the rest of us!). She easily could carry a decent romantic storyline or a well crafted Jabot business plot.

Yes Eileen Was On Y&R From 1981 or 1982 Until 1988

She Was At Santa Barbara From 1991 to 1993

Then DAYS From 1993 to 1998

Then Y and R Again From 1998/9 To 2006

Then From 2007 to 2008 Bold And The Beautiful

Then By The End Of 2008 Back On Y&R Again.

So Yes It Was Her, John (Jerry Douglas) Dina (Marla Adams) John’s 1st Wife, Tracey (Beth Maitland) And The Original Jack (Terry Lester) Who Brought The Abbotts To Life;

First thing she has to do is dim the lights a little- The show looks too lit up and i have hated that for a long time. Other than that, I think her stories will be good.

James, we don’t want it to dark…Lighting is very important to the sets…Also, have I said this before…PLEASE bring back the classic background music score.

What? TPTB at Sony actually making a decision that’s logical and sane and in the best interest of the show?

I’m sorry, my brain just cannot process this piece of information.

Does not compute. Does not compute. Does not compute. Does not compute.

I agree with all those who have said Bill Bell is smiling.

Meanwhile GH is keeping it’s head writers and EP, big mistake–HUGE!

Good news someone who loves the show is back in town! Whoopee!!!

Echoing the comments above, this is fantastic news. First Phelps got the boot, then Pratt opted out, and now we have a very talented team at the helm of Y&R again. Hopefully Mal and Sally bring Y&R back to its roots. The great news for Y&R continues!

Ditto Jimmy 🙂 SSM Has Since Been With Y&R On And Off Since 1983….. She Is The Right Fit. 🙂 Indeed.

After watching these “payoff” shows for the last 2 days, where Phyllis makes the big reveal to Jack, it just looks like the current writing regime put little or no effort into this. Writing was bland, not even suspenseful. I’m also realizing now that Jason Thompson has been miscast in this role, or that the writing was so bad, that even he couldn’t act his way out of the dialogue the last 2 days. There are days I really miss Billy Miller in this role. Sally’s material probably won’t be seen on air until end of November at the earliest, I just wished it could be sooner.

Long time “lite” viewer. The best wishes to the new team.

I traveled for many years, but when returning was always able to pick up who was who on Y & R. There was a core that lasted; not necessarily with the same actors, but the core was there.

Some stories were stupid beyond belief. Don’t know how I would feel about them today; things have changed. It was when the Underground blew up and all of Genoa City appeared to be blowing up that this site was found. The program watched, off and on for years, was no longer pleasant.

II don’t ask for much, and in general so admire the actors. Soaps can’t compete with “Downton Abbey” but there is a type of connection. I am not sure ratings, as they work, play to improvement.

For me I wish success.

I want a writer who hasn’t forgotten that Phyllis isn’t holier than thou. Everyone seems to have amnesia when it comes to her trying to kill Paul and Christine ; even Christine. It’s difficult for me to forget that someone tried to kill me!

I totally agree with that this is hugely overlooked. Christine and Paul should throw it in her face whenever they can.

Pratt has been a failure everywhere he’s been. Look at what he did to AMC. He completely wasted the great Beth Ehlers after ABC made that enormous casting coup. How do you get a job after that?

Can someone tell me what stories she wrote, characters she created? Thanks, Gang. Seems like many of the long term fans are happy with this news. I’m always optimistic. Staying tuned …..

in the 80’s Sally Sussman helped Bill Bell create the Abbott family.

Now bring back. Michael Muhney and the world will be right again!

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark

Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”

In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.

It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.

Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.

You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.

So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.

As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.

Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC

Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.

BROTHERLY LOVE?

Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”

With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”

BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE

Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”

So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.

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Breaking News

Jacob Martinez is ‘Days of Our Lives’ New Javi Hernandez Replacing Al Calderon in the Role

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Finally! The casting has been revealed as to just who would be Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Days of our Lives, Javi Hernandez. On Friday, April 30, the long-running soap opera revealed Jacob Martinez is taking on the part and he will first be seen this coming June 30th and then on all-new episodes streaming on Peacock.

As previously reported, the popular Calderon exited the soap opera last year to join the cast of the NBC primetime medical drama, Brilliant Minds as nurse Nico Silva, who in May will air the remainder of their second season. The series has been on the bubble for renewal by the network. His last episodes as Javi will also air this May on DAYS.

Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming, Martinez has been secretly ensconced in all the drama in Salem for quite some time. When viewers see the new Javi in story, we should learn what will happen in Javi’s relationship with Leo Stark played by Emmy winner, Greg Rikaart, plus his continued relationship with his relatives in the Hernandez clan. Currently, when Javi returned to Salem after taking care of his ailing father, and after the bust-up of his marriage to Leo thanks to Dimitri (Peter Porte), he claimed he had moved on with someone else while he was away from Salem.

Photo: JPI

Like Calderon before him, Martinez is a multi-talented actor and singer. Jacob’s resume is impressive having appeared in the musical In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and he was hand-picked by Joey Contreras to play the role of Grey. Other credits include: the short film, Memory Swim and the play Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage.

Martinez hails from Norfolk, Nebraska and appeared when he was very young at the Johnny Carson Theatre, and as DAYS fans know, Jacob is now working at the Days of our Lives studios, right where the “Tonight Show” is filled. In addition, Jacob Martinez is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).

Taking to his Instagram on Thursday, April 30 once the news of his casting was revealed, Martinez, expressed, “Way too many people to thank in one post, so I’ll just say THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to each and every person who continues to pour into me and encourage me to chase my dreams. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. I already feel beyond blessed, supported, and loved. See you all in Salem ⏳”

Jacob Martinez appeared on Friday on the Days of our Lives Instagram account announcing his casting. You can check it out below. Deadline was the first to report the casting switch.

So, excited to learn who is the new Javi Hernandez? Please welcome Jacob Martinez to the role and be on the lookout for his debut on June 30. Comment below.

 

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