News
Shelly Altman & Jean Passanante Officially Named Today Head Writers Of Y&R!
Courtesy/WGAeast
Although already reported through the soap world, today it became official with an announcement from Sony Pictures Television. Shelly Altman has been promoted to Head Writer and Jean Passanante has been named Head Writer for The Young and the Restless. Additionally, Tracey Thomson has been promoted to Co-Head Writer. The announcement was made by Steve Kent, Senior Executive Vice President, U.S. Programming at Sony Pictures Television.
Kent stated, “Shelly has been an important part of the Y&R writing team since joining the show last year and Jean brings with her a wealth of daytime writing experience. We are excited to have these two talented daytime veterans leading our writing team at Y&R. We are also thrilled to have Tracey take on a new role and we look forward to her creative input to the show.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Altman has been a writer for The Young and The Restless since 2012. Previously, she served as a writer and co-head writer on several daytime dramas, including Another World, One Life to Live, and most recently, General Hospital. Altman has been nominated for five Writers Guild Awards and six Emmy Awards. She won an Emmy for her work on General Hospital in 2008.
Passanante has also written for several daytime dramas, including Another World, All My Children, As the World Turns, One Life to Live and General Hospital. Passanante has been nominated for four Writers Guild Awards and has won four times for her work on All My Children (2001, 2002) and for her work on As the World Turns (2007, 2009). She has been nominated for eight Emmy Awards and has won four times for her work on One Life to Live (1994) and As the World Turns (2002, 2004 and 2005).
Thomson wrote for General Hospital from 2006 to 2008, for All My Children from 2008 to 2010 and she returned to General Hospital from 2010 to 2012. She joined the writing team at The Young and the Restless in 2012. Thomson has been nominated for two Writers Guild Awards and won for her work on General Hospital in 2012. She has been nominated for four Emmy Awards.
So now that it is official, how do you feel about Altman and Passanante, with Thompson creating the stories for the characters on the canvas in Genoa City? Do you think the show will become more like the Y&R you have longed for? Comment below!
Who cares, the has sucked for awhile now. As long as JP is there, it really doesn’t matter who writes because they take their orders from her and she has zero vision.
I agree-until they get rid of the woman hating JFP, who must be behind the utter destruction of the Sharon character, who ever is writing for Y&R cannot remedy what ails it. For instance, how do they fix the whole Jack/Nick paternity DNA mess? Viewers have been led to believe for years that Jack was really the father. And really, can’t Jack come up on top just once ?
I mean, the women-hating (plural). And it does seem self evident that JFP hates SC (Sharon).
Sad,but I think you are right!
Sharon and Adam are the shows top super hot couple. Bring back Drucilla for Neil!
London Bridges! Chelsea better be getting what’s coming to her! Tired of her and the baby story. Time for the ratchet chin to get what’s coming to her! Hope Dylan and Adam take her ass to court! Who cares about the stripper Nikki! What is going on with this show. Avery she got to go also! Annoying girl! Nobody got time for any of that! Nikki is just ratchet. The Victor old fool is a recycled story over and over. Time they moved away from that old fool!!! Time for Avery to leave
I LOVE Sharon! They need to repair her like they promised! Sharon and Adam should be married by now. So tired of Chelsea and Avery and now this stuff again with Nikki and Victor so recycled .
I can’t stand all this Chelsea stuff. Avery is really boring me. I miss the old couples like Dru and Neil and Sharon with Adam or Nick. I loved Ashley and Brad. Victor is a hot mess and I hate Nikki can’t stand the way she treats people tired of her
Please explain wtf is Wrong with Sharon, and make her back the way she used to be. And I love Sharon with Adam
I did too! I thought they really brought a substance to the two that they don’t have individually. The relationship gave Sharon an independence she never exhibited with anyone else and it added a humanity to Adam.
I was never a huge fan of Sharon, but now the character is just a joke.
Y&R has been YawneR for waaaay to loooooooooong!!!
I agree! Sharon was the best thing to ever happen to Adam. They were like SUPER COUPLE <3
R.I.P. Y&R.
100% agree. JFBP has been brought in for the final rites of Y & R.
It like having a family business run by strangers– no matter how experience they are they will never run the business like those who created it, nurtured and made it what it was.
Mary I heard that SB does some good acting finally on today’s Canadian episode and that we find out the deal concerning Sharon. Finally maybe we shall see some light at the end of the tunnel where I can start watching again or was I informed wrong?
Noah finds Sharon meds and realizes the prescription was filled 2 months ago and the bottle is still filled–she is off her meds. I think we all guess that would be their reasoning for her odd behavior, but whether that explanation will be enough to redeem her or undo the damage done to the character I don’t know.
As for SB– yeah he actually managed to convey some emotion— a great scene that helps us understand why he was so willing to believe everything Chelsea told him. JM also gave a good performance as the jilted groom.
And Jfp has won 7 emmy awards and before y and r her ratings were shit. Altman 1 year experience at y and r. its not going to work. Jean Passanante again no history of y and r history. Thompson just gh and no y and r experience. This show has officially become the cancellation production staff.
Why oh why does JFP keep getting hired while being awarded Emmy’s? Fans hate her, viewers hate her, and the actors and crew members hate her. She is known as the grim reaper of soaps.
Get rid of her!
JP is the worst ever writer in soap history. Every soap that she was HW sunk badly. May be they want Y & R off the air very soon; that’s why they have hired JP as its funeral director. I hate JP with every fiber for the way she destroyed ATWT.
I’ve been telling everybody; YawneR, YawneR, YawneR…..zzz…zzz…zzz…
As far as I’m concerned, nothing will revive YawneR. It is in a coma and
puts the viewers in comas!!!
I do not think they have any far range plans for any stories they just wing it. JG promised us he was going to turn Sharon around and she is worse then ever. I mean I expect any time for her to grow a mustache and start twirling it! I know it is a paycheck but she can not possibly be happy with this. She is not even remotely like the creation Bill Bell made no she was not perfect but this is not even the same young girl. Maybe that is their intent is to make her so unlikeable that you want her gone forever. I know this is off topic but would someone please remove those cheap looking lion statues out of the Chancellor mansion. I know if Jeanne Cooper was alive she would be dropping F-Bombs all over the place how tacky that living room is.
Could NOT agree more! Eric Braden stated he didn’t care who wrote for the show as long as they had an understanding for the history! Clearly these women DO NOT! Despise JFP! Kay Alden should have been brought back. This is a Bell serial that has become the JFP show! Not Happy!
Just write a better show. PLEASE!
This latest stuff about Nikki having another child is not the way to do it.
You need to fix the mess they have made of Sharon case.She is to good for the crap they have handed her the last 2 years!!!!shes to good of a actress to treat her this way!!!!
Totally agree about SC but she did absolutely look gorgeous in the pink top at the wedding! Even if you do not like her character which I do though no one can say she has not gone to work and given it a 100%. My understanding is at the fan gathering she was the one most people wanted to see and I guess she was out ill and did not show up. I would be ill if I had to work under these circumstances. I want my show back and I know I am going to catch some grief but if that top picture is Shelly Altman I swear it looks like a man in drag. I think all these women writing and producing for the show hate women I really do. I know JFP does.
Y&R is doomed!
If it was not before, it will surely now be 100% doomed. The witch of soaps, JFP, has been hired as HW.
Interesting to read how much Y&R viewers hate being subjected to writers who have no clue about the show’s history just the way GH viewers hate that RC has no clue about its history. Misery loves company.
“RC has excellent knowledge of GH history..
Um… apparently not when it comes to Carly!
Ron Carlivati has stated multiple times that he loves GH’s rich history, and he, along with Frank Valentini, saved the show from cancellation. Look at how many vets they’ve brought back, even ones whose characters were thought to be dead: Sean Kanan, Finola Hughes, Tristan Rogers, Genie Francis, Kin Shriner, Jack Wagner, Ian Buchanan, Robin Mattson, Lynn Herring, Jon Lindstrom, Denise Alexander, Rick Springfield, John Reilly, as well as appearances from Stuart Damon, Natalia Livingston, Chris Robinson… the list goes on.
GH is stronger now that it has been in years, the writing is much better, the acting is still solid and the FV/RC creative team is stellar. If you don’t believe me, watch some episodes from when JFP and Guza were there, and compare them to recent episodes. The show is amazing, and Frank and Ron are to thank for that. So how can you say that they don’t know or care about GH history?
Notice that you specifically avoided my mention of Carly. Right now one of Ron’s marquis story lines is the return of a dead serial killer who committed truly heinous atrocities against many characters, of which he kidnapped Carly, stalked her young daughter and arranged for her son to be raped in prison. Now Carly has become infatuated with Franco. It is offensive, many long-time GH watchers absolutely hate it but he story is being propped by all the OLTL watchers who came over to GH after RC got their show cancelled. Do I appreciate what he has done for GH? Yes… and no. Guza certainly got carried away and deserved to be fired but his stories had depth and drama. RC’s stories have something going for them – finally – but they still lack depth. He prefers plot points to the work of developing stories. So there is something to be said for each of them. The Franco disaster is horrible though and SPITS in the face of GH history. For me, I’ll look forward to the resolution of Luke and Laura’s story line in the fall and then I’m done, and it is entirely attributable of the stupid offensiveness of the Franco arc.
I never said I agree with everything RC has done. In fact, I don’t really like his creations of Sabrina or Britt, but story wise, for the most part, I love what he’s done. I find him much better than Guza, and I apologize if I offended you in any way. I agree, having Carly fall for Franco is a bit out there, but at the same time, imagine all the story potential it has, topped with the wild chemistry between Laura Wright and the incredible Roger Howarth. I think RC could be on the right track here with this odd but intriguing pairing.
Kay Alden, Jack Smith, period.
Amen. This whole Jean Passanante, Shelley Altman and Tracey Thompson team isn’t going to work, especially when JFP is leading the charge.
After the way JP destroyed ATWT with her pathetic writing; better not to continue watching Y & R. The soap was stale anyway. It will now evaporate faster than vapor.
When I read your comment, I could not stop lauphing!!!lol
Thank you. I needed that!!!
Ugh. You’ve reported this before but I was PRAYING it wasn’t true. I can’t believe that Jean Passanante is given yet another chance to write (“cough” — destroy!) a soap. In the past five years, alleged writer Passanante has worked on three soaps and two of them were cancelled when she was around. Who in their right mind would allow this woman anywhere near their show with her track record?
This is TERRIBLE news!!!!
Who in their right mind would allow this woman anywhere near their show with her track record?
The idiots and morons of Y & R.
If one needed evidence that the people at Sony haven’t the slightest idea what they’re doing, here it is. I don’t care how many Emmys Jean Passanante has, I’ve watched shows she has head-written and they were, I’m sorry to say it, dreadful. (She might be fine in other capacities.) It could be, I suppose, that they were unable to find many people willing to consider working for JFP, but if that’s the case, that should tell them what a problem they have with JFP as executive producer, shouldn’t it?
Soaps are circling the drain and THIS is the kind of decision they’re making? Un-fricking-believable.
My only hope is when not if, but when, Y&R finally loses its coveted number one spot in the ratings the exec’s at Sony/CBS will wake up and smell the coffee and realize they made the biggest blunder thinking they hired a dream team and they got the team of doom.
lol I think you all are having bad hair day ..(grouchy)
Y&R can not get any worse than it is now, so no big deal..
100% agree. JP will hasten the end of the show. After all destroying soaps is JP’s long-lived privilege and right.
I would’ve preferred to see Josh stay. His storytelling was amazing. I haven’t loved Y&R this much in years. Jean is a decent scribe, and Altman is pretty decent as well. Would prefer Josh to come back and have Kay Alden named co-head scribe alongside him.
You must be a saint to actually call JP a decent scribe. After the AW, ATWT and OLTL debacle at JP’s hands; you’re really a kind-hearted person. Good Luck! with Y & R with JP as its HW. After ATWT, I had vowed never to see anything with which CG and JP are associated. So, Adios Y & R.
Your name is Scott (ATWT fan), and you’re saying that Jeannie P is a “decent scribe”?! She systematically destroyed ATWT to the point of cancellation, and made multi-decade, fan-favourite vet Eileen Fulton no more than a breathing prop on the show! How does that resemble a “decent scribe”? And now, she’s been set loose on Y&R with JFP to destroy it, as well. I guarantee that Y&R will sink even lower with this new “creative” team managing everything. I agree that Kay Alden (as well as Jack Smith) should have been brought back, but I am certainly not holding my breath to be amazed by Passanante’s work. Her butcher jobs on ATWT (a show you claim to be a fan of) and AW speak volumes.
Like many long time fans, I wonder how much longer Y&R can exist without great storylines. I remember the multi-layered, inter-generational shows from the glory days of Bill Bell. Do the networks/production companies really want daytime to fail? Why do they keep hiring producers/writers recently fired from other shows? Makes no sense! Come on CBS & Sony, think outside the box. The characters and their history should be respected, not completely re-written at the drop of the new headwriter’s whimsy. The shows deserve more, along with the cast, crew and fans.
The current state of the Y&R CAN BE BLAMED ON THREE PEOPLE, the current head of Sony Daytime, the executive who is running the production of the show, and head writer.Clearly they are not willing to create or hire a writer, from another venue,but continue to rely on former people wh records,despite their Emmys,the show still is forgetting ,that the fans know the back-story and when they start to change the psychological schema of the character,I.e. Sharon N., this story of chaos, illness, love, revenge, has not worked, and to involve major characters history,psyche, Nick, Jack, and poor Summer, stop taking these twist that seem interesting,but forget the history of how they were set up.Without the major character in a coma,I.e.(they haven’t hired anyone who has Michelle’s skills and talent)Sony hire an outside consultant to help you,really,do this asap…..but unless the rating slip..the will continue this mess ….good luck….
Only in television is failure rewarded.One hack writer after another destroys one show and is immediately hired to damage another.Jean Passanante wrote Another World and we watched 35 years of storied history swirl down the drain.As the World Turns was turned into a chaotic,ridiculous mess.The audience wants good stories not hackneyed,cliched crap.Stories of corporate intrigue might be interesting if not written by anti-capatilist clowns like Passanante,Griffith and others of their ilk.The same hack writers playing musical chairs to the tune of non-creative executives pushing implausible story lines is disappointing and devastating the devotees of the genre.Where is the next Bill Bell,Harding Lemay or Henry Slesar when we desperately need him .
Amen. Well said.
They better fix Sharon’s character for good this time. No more returning to psycho Sharon. Ever.
These three writers and Phelps know nothing about the YR brand and what it takes to make it great.
Josh G at least understood the history of the show and improved and stabilized the writing mess that MAB and Sheffer created.
And Kent must be smoking something to put out a release like that. Shameful.
I couldn’t agree more, Josh Griffith deserved so much more than he got, he continued work on Y&R during the WGA strike, and was elevated to EP at the time. He knows Y&R’s history, he cares about making a good show. Yes, the writing was pretty bad over the past year, but a lot of that can be attributed to JFP. I wouldn’t be shocked if she didn’t let Josh tell the stories he wanted to, and instead have him carry out her “creative vision” for the show.
MAB was bad, Lynn Marie Latham before her was awful, and I didn’t think it could get much worse, but here we are coming into the final few months of 2013 and the show is almost unwatchable. I loved Katherine’s memorial, but that’s the only thing I’ve liked in months.
As for the press release, I don’t understand how Kent could deliver such bullshit and expect everyone to jump on the JFP and Jeannie P bandwagon – it isn’t going to happen. Newer viewers, who didn’t watch Y&R when it was actually good, probably don’t care, because they don’t have a standard set for Bill Bell’s beloved show, but people who have been watching for years do, and the Y&R we’ve been subjected to since the Lynn Marie Latham days is awful.
I fall asleep every time I watch YawneR.
Tell your buddy Mike I said hello!!! He could not take the
heat elsewhere, so he chose to have the chef thrown out
of the kitchen!
What he did was create a catering service for me. I’m
cooking and serving everywhere and YawneR has had
it’s share of poisoness food!!! It is dying a slow death.
You probably need to stop watching.
Who’s Mike?
Mike is the know-it-all at zap2it, the one who hidesbehind
the numbers like you do!
Hiding where?
Sweetie take the meds, and calm down.
The world is a great place!
All the comments about Jean Passanante and Jill Farren Phelps being completely wrong for Y&R are 100% accurate. Look at what’s happened on Y&R in the past year:
– A ton of unnecessary firings (Marcy Rylan, Stephen Nichols, etc.); Completely miscast roles (Kyle Abbott, anyone?);
– Newbies with no ties to Y&R’s past (Tyler, Leslie, Melanie, Hillary, Mason, Gus, Wheeler, Carmine);
– Horrible actors being hired (Redaric Williams, Mishael Morgan, Marco Dapper);
– Awful writing (what the hell is going on with Sharon?!)
And now, the way TPTB at Sony & CBS are “attempting” to fix it is by keeping JFP, a power-hungry, tyrannical soap Satan, and giving her a new pet to carry out her “vision” for the show (or lack there of), Jeannie P, the destroyer of ATWT.
How is this helpful? How will this save Y&R? And the show really does need saving at this point. What Y&R needed to do was bring back Kay Alden and Jack Smith as head writers, fire JFP, and rehire Ed Scott or David Shaughnessy. THEN, and only then, would the show start to improve. This is a Bell Serial Drama, not JFP’s new toy to disassemble.
Leslie wasn’t a new character when Jill and Josh came on. Leslie joined the series when Maria was in control. And as for Emme, she was let go and brought back due to fan petition, and then she left of her own choice. And Marco was hired also during Maria’s reign. You need to re-assert your facts before just judging a writing and executive team.
What I meant was that Leslie was only bumped on to contract and given a story when Jill and Josh took over, before that she was a lawyer who only popped up when people needed legal assistance. She didn’t have a storyline or a backstory until Josh conjured one up for her, which led to the introductions of Tyler, Gus and Wheeler – three new characters with no ties to Y&R’s past.
Same thing goes for Carmine – he sort of had a story when he was introduced, with Angelina and Chloe’s kidnapping and all that, but then it was if he wasn’t on the show anymore, and all of the sudden he reappeared as a creepy, sleazy stalker. There was no reason given for that, he just slept with Lauren a few times and suddenly became infatuated with her. If the show was smart they would have killed the character off.
Marcy was let go by Jill and Josh, and when they realized their mistake and she was brought back, she should have been placed back on contract. Instead, she was put on recurring, which allowed her the option to leave the show whenever she wanted. Her leaving for the second time was a huge blow for Y&R.
All I can add is with the huge fan base of those who watch Y&R, it seems their opinion is worth nothing at all. On Twitter, all summer, fans were very verbal about the show, criticizing the plots and the lack of substance apart from the Mrs. C. memorial. Did CBS or Sony listen. Nope! Even the return of Micheal Damian was a blur of his having a few lines and singing of screen What an insult that was to him and the fans who had lobbied for his return all summer.
Will the story lines get better with two writers who have had no long term affiliation with the show?
Easy answer? Nope, not a bit.
Disappointed doesn’t even cut the response here by myself and the others who have commented.
What will it take to get the right folks back leading the drama back to it’s solid roots that we all love.
Correction of above comment by myself. I meant to write “Michael Damian singing OFF screen at the Mrs. C’s memorial”
They buried MRS C, now it’s time for YawneR to go to sleep.
DOOL has been on fire for over a year now.
GH is now on fire!!!
And even the horrible BlowjoB is better than YawneR!
A YackeR adds up to a YawneR. Y&R is a joke and some
people continue to hide behind the numbers..That is
all that show has. They’ll make it better when people
wake up and stop watching. I know it is a YawneR, but
WAKE UP!!!
Sweetie why such the hatred for YR?
Yikes.
I do not have a hatred for YawneR. I do not like when some Y&R fans
use the ratings to say it is the best. That is bad for the soaps!
I’ve never said it is the best. It has one big issue which is Phelps…and she needs to go, regardless of if the ratings have held up under her.
I want the ratings for all shows to continue to be good so at least we have four left.
I don’t hate any.
I think this is great news. This writing team seems like they are fully equipped to bring fresh and new stories while honouring the history of the characters. Many of the actors have expressed how good the show is and the writing. This is due to Josh, Shelley Altman and Tracey Thomson. With them being promoted and with Jean’s history of character driven stories I look forward to what happens in Genoa City.
YR was good under Josh Griffin with great emotional stories but something was lacking. Looking forward to fresh new stories. Let’s be positive about the changes and see what has to come. I have a feeling YR will be kicking ass in stories !!
Jean’s history of character driven stories
Yeah. she creates and then destroys her own characters and stories. No wonder she is kicked out from every soap shortly after her hire or even worse, the show gets cancelled. After AW, ATWT, OLTL; Y&R is next in line on its way out. Her touch is exactly opposite of the Midas Touch. Whatever she touches is doomed.
Most often new teams of writers DON’T honor the history of the characters and bring their own in.
We saw this under Josh, but that was most likely due to Jill.
I have no faith she’s done ANYTHING to honor the history of this great show.
I like that PatF said it was most likely due to Jill because when Josh took over in 2006 (during the WGA strike) up until he left, the show was good. He loves Y&R’s history and stays true to the characters. I feel like this time around, Jill didn’t allow him to tell the stories he wanted to tell, and that’s how this whole mess with Sharon was created.
And I completely disagree about Jeannie P having a GOOD history when it comes to soaps she’s written for – in fact, it’s the polar opposite. Her history is for destroying soaps like ATWT and AW. OLTL was saved but her work on ATWT was atrocious. She relegated Eileen Fulton to a breathing prop, and let’s not mention what she did to several other characters in terms of story.
Y&R does not need Jeannie P or Jill Farren Phelps for that matter.
I hope JP never ever writes a Gay or Lesbian SL for Y & R or anything that she is hired for. No, I am not a homophobe; I am an extremely tolerant and accepting individual. JP destroyed Luke and Reid, and Luke and Noah SLs on ATWT with horrendous endings for both. I do not know if she is a homophobe or not; but she is definitely a rank bad writer who does not read the pulse of the soap viewers at all. I am afraid that if she does write one she may repeat her past. The last time she had 1 character killed off, 1 left sad and miserable, and 1 packed off town. If she does write one, I am sure she’ll lead the faithful viewers and fans; and then she might come up with another atrocious and sad ending for gay or lesbian SLs.
Sorry have zero interest in Y&R under JFP and her Steve Burton propping hour.
Undoubtedly these writers are here to insure more Burton.
Its disgraceful that better actors have left for this
Good, then you can ruin Y&R the way you ruined GH.
how can you get rid of adam newman, and billy abbot you are destroying a great soap i have watched for many years you keep adding stupid story lines and stupid uninteresting people. You should leave a good thing alone. you probably will be axed off the air soon.
Breaking News
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
For those who were holding out hope that Daytime Emmy winner and fan favorite, Nicholas Chavez would be returning to General Hospital after filming his leading role in Ryan Murphy’s Monsters anthology, it looks like those hopes have been dashed.
According to a report from TV Line, although unconfirmed from General Hospital or a representative for Chavez, the actor will not reprise his role as Spencer Cassadine on the long-running ABC soap opera and continue the love story of Sprina opposite Tabyana Ali (Trina, GH).
Chavez was cast as Lyle Menendez over the the summer of 2023 for the second season of Murphy’s limited Monsters series on Netflix. In the upcoming season, the series will focus on the the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the two well-to-do Beverly Hills brothers accused of murdering their parents in 1989.
Photo: ABC
After word from Chavez casting was revealed, GH fans were concerned over the fate of the Sprina story, a spokesperson for GH shared, “We support Nicholas’ endeavors and look forward to having him return to General Hospital once this project is wrapped.”
In story, the series “killed off” Spencer when he went overboard with Esme to the steely waters below after being injected with a drug, thanks to Esme and falling into the Seine River in France. However, his body was never recovered, and believed to have drowned or washed away. Thus, leaving an opening for Spencer to return in the form of Chavez or be recast down the line.
Photo: ABC
TV Line shared that ‘multiple sources’ are confirming that Chavez is not returning to the ABC soap opera, which is what many had suspected might be the case once he left for this major starring role in a Ryan Murphy project. Chavez has been relatively quiet on social media for months.
Photo: ABC
The Michael Fairman Channel spoke with Nicholas Chavez for a virtual interview when he first joined the show in 2021, and spoke to him right after when he won the Daytime Emmy in 2022 – you can see those below.
No word yet on when Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story will debut on Netflix, but it is assumed later this year.
So, what do you think about the news of Nicholas Chavez not returning to his role as Spencer Cassadine on General Hospital? Comment below.
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS and ‘Supernatural’ Alum Jensen Ackles Joins the Cast of Justin Hartley’s CBS Series ‘Tracker’
Look who’s joining Justin Hartley’s hit freshman drama, Tracker! None other than another soap alum, former Days of our Lives and Supernatural favorite Jensen Ackles.
In a reveal via Hartley’s Instagram on Thursday, Ackles is set to play Hartley’s on-screen brother on the CBS procedural drama. In Tracker, Colter Shaw is estranged from his brother, Russell, which has been a big part of the mystery of season one.
Ackles is best known for his long run as Dean Winchester in The CW’s Supernatural, a role he reprised in the prequel of the series The Winchesters. He also recently starred in ABC’s Big Sky as Sheriff Beau Arlen and in The Boys as Soldier Boy.
Photo: CBS
Jensen was the original Eric Brady on Days of our Lives, a role he played from 1997-2000, before departing for the world of primetime and film. Eric was in love with Nicole played by Arianne Zucker. The part of Eric was recast with Greg Vaughan taking over the role in 2012.
Photo: JPI
In his Instagram post, Justin thanked everyone for watching Tracker, and then revealed Ackles as the surprise casting announcement in the role of Russell, while Jensen was playing pinball in the video! No word yet on when Jensen’s first episode as Russell will air. Stay tuned.
Check out Justin’s casting post featuring Jensen Ackles below. So, what do you think of Justin and Jensen playing brothers on Tracker? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
View this post on Instagram
General Hospital
Jack Wagner Open to Making an Appearance in ‘Melrose Place’ Reboot and Shares, “You Never Really Die on a Soap”
With the Melrose Place revival the talk of the town, now Jack Wagner (ex-Frisco, GH, ex-Nick, B&B and ex-Peter Burns, MP) has weighed-in on it and if he would show up in the new series if it should find a home.
Currently, CBS Studios is developing a reboot starring Heather Locklear, Daphne Zuniga and Laura Leighton. But what is Dr. Peter Burns were to show up alive?
As those who saw the end of the original MP know, Peter and Amanda (Locklear) faked their deaths and then tied the knot with Peter on a beach, supposedly in a “happily ever after” scenario.
Photo: Fox
Speaking with PEOPLE, Wagner expressed, what we all know who watch the soaps, that no one is never, ever really gone for good. Jack expressed, “You never really die on a soap, right? How they unfold those two characters (Peter and Amanda), it’d be fantastic how they sort of tell that story.”
Wagner added, “That was a great finale to be included in, especially with Heather. If I’m asked to come back, I’d absolutely entertain that.”
Photo: Fox
The original Melrose Place aired for seven seasons from 1992 to 1999. The story featured the residents of an apartment complex, whose lives were intertwined. Eventually Wagner and Heather Locklear dated fro 2007-2011.
As previously reported, the new Melrose Place share that some of original neighbors and friends reunite after a death. The loglines add, “The pressure cooker of a reunion soon uncovers old traumas, rekindles old romances, reignites old resentments, and reveals new secrets… throwing our characters into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective.”
So, would you like to see Jack Wagner return as Dr. Peter Burns on Melrose Place, or Frisco Jones on GH, or both? Comment below.
Y&R’s Allison Lanier Lands Her First Daytime Emmy Nomination and Shares “Being a Recast Can Be Daunting”
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
DAYS and ‘Supernatural’ Alum Jensen Ackles Joins the Cast of Justin Hartley’s CBS Series ‘Tracker’
Jack Wagner Open to Making an Appearance in ‘Melrose Place’ Reboot and Shares, “You Never Really Die on a Soap”
Wally Kurth Talks on His DAYS Daytime Emmy Nomination, His Emotional Scenes, and Remembering John Aniston
‘Knots Landing’s’ Donna Mills and Joan Van Ark Reunite for Los Angeles Ballet Season 18 Gala
Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
‘Tracker’s’ Justin Hartley on His ‘Passions’ Soap Start, “They’d Have Me With No Shirt Walking Around a Hospital for Three Weeks. It Was Ridiculous, but I Loved It.”
The Young and the Restless and General Hospital Actress and Writer, Meg Bennett, Passes Away at 75
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
Cameron Mathison Previews New Game Show ‘Beat The Bridge’ (Promo)
Y&R’s Michelle Stafford Talks on Her Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Nomination, Allison Lanier, and ‘Pacific Palisades’ with Finola Hughes
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Confronts Ava for Sabotaging Her Relationship With Sonny and Signs the Divorce Papers
AEW Dynasty: Swerve Strickland Becomes AEW World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Perry Returns, Will Ospreay Retires Move After Scary Finish
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General HospitalApril 21, 2024‘Knots Landing’s’ Donna Mills and Joan Van Ark Reunite for Los Angeles Ballet Season 18 Gala
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NewsApril 20, 2024The Young and the Restless Preview: Ashley’s New Alter Emerges
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Days Of Our LivesApril 19, 2024Stephen Schnetzer Talks On His Return to Days of our Lives and Working with Susan Seaforth Hayes In Emotional Episodes
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General HospitalApril 22, 2024Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital
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Days Of Our LivesApril 17, 2024DAYS Alum Tanner Stine to Appear in ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ Starring Nicholas Chavez
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Breaking NewsApril 17, 202451st Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Set to Be Announced