News
B&B’s Don Diamont Recalls His Soap Start on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and Confrontation with Exec Prod Al Rabin (Exclusive ‘Soapy’ Preview)

Before Don Diamont was The Bold and the Beautiful’s Dollar Bill Spencer, or even The Young and the Restless’ Brad Carlton, he started his over four decades in soap operas over in Salem on Days of Our Lives as Carlo Forenza from 1984-1985. Now Diamont will talk about it all, when he is the special guest on the newest edition of Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig (Taylor, B&B) and Greg Rikaart (Leo, DAYS) dropping this coming Tuesday, August 18.
In this exclusive preview clip from Michael Fairman TV, Diamont recalls his humble beginnings at DAYS were pretty rocky, especially butting heads with then executive producer Al Rabin.
In story, Carlo was connected to the mob, and eventually was the business manager and friend to Liz Chandler (Gloria Loring). Liz was married to Dr. Neil Curtis (Joe Gallison), and became stranded on a deserted island with Carlo. Neil thought they had an affair, but then one night Carlo took advantage of Liz. Eventually Neil Curtis, accidentally shoots and kills Carlo with Carlo’s own gun during a mob confrontation (Neil had ties to the mob too).

Credit: Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch
ENTRY INTO SALEM GONE WRONG
Recalling his audition and first day on the set at DAYS, Diamont shared, “They’d gone through hundreds of people and they couldn’t find the guy to play this part, Carlo Forenza. I end up getting it. I go through the screen test and the whole bit. So, my first day, Al Rabin, the executive producer at the time, wanted to sit down and talk to me before I started shooting. I thought, ‘great.’ Now, I am beyond green at this point, and in our conversation, I asked him about publicity.”
Diamont says from there, things took a nosedive between the novice actor and the longtime producer: “That didn’t really sit well with him. I thought, ‘you’re the executive producer, you’re the person to ask.’ I probably should have talked to my agent before then about it, but I didn’t. So, Al said, ‘How about we just learn what we’re doing here first and then you can worry about that.”
In the moment, Don had a realization: “I think that kind of rubbed him the wrong way. Understandably. Fair enough. On my first day on the set, my character was being introduced in a party scene. So, all the stars of the show were on the set. I was very nervous. I walk in, and say whatever my lines are, and they stop tape. Al comes out of the booth onto the set, and calls me off the set about this. I will never forget it. He said, ‘I can take an actor who’s nervous. I can’t take an actor without energy. Get it together!”
GLORIA LORING ON WHAT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH DON DIAMONT MEANT TO HER
Days of Our Lives fans will recall that Gloria Loring and Don Diamont were also a couple in real-life for awhile. Loring told Michael Fairman TV back in 2012, that they were together for three years after her marriage to Alan Thicke fell apart, expressing, “Don came into my life and treated me with such kindness and respect, and paid attention to everything I was thinking or doing.”
Gloria added,”Don is a really nice man, and family is number one with him. He has really great qualities. I have been very blessed to have him and others in my life. When we parted, because he knew he had to go off and have a family of his own, because family was so important to him after the passing of his own father, I said, ‘What is the most important thing he gave me?’ I realized it was the respect and the attentiveness.I knew I had to start doing that for myself. It’s taken me a long time. I could still do better, but Don was an important person in that process.”

Photo: JPI
DON DIAMONT’S SOAP RESUME
After leaving Days of Our Lives in 1985, the late Bill Bell cast Diamont on The Young and the Restless as poolboy-turned-executive, Brad Carlton. Diamont had two runs on the soap from 1985 to 1996 and from 1998 t0 2009, before the character was killed-off. Next, Bill’s son, Brad Bell (executive producer and head writer of The Bold and the Beautiful) cast him in what would be his defining role on daytime television, that of Bill Spencer. It’s a role that he has played since 2009.
For past episodes from the ‘Soapy’ audio/video podcast series, find them via the Audacy app and the CBS brand YouTube channel. The podcast is produced by the Paramount Multiplatform Production Group, with Mike Benson serving as executive producer.
Now below, check out Don recalling his first meeting with Al Rabin, and first day on the set of Days of Our Lives when he was just 21-years-old.
Then let us know, did you watch Days of our Lives when Don played Carlo? Do you remember the Liz and Carlo storyline? What has been your favorite Don Diamont role of all-time: Carlo? Brad, or Bill? Let us know via the comment section below.
I don’t watch The Bold and Beautiful but long ago I watched Y& R. I think it’s pretty safe to say that Don is ageless.
I’d still like to see him in a Speedo . Bet he could still rock it
I agree, Pippa. how about a beach getaway for Bill and Katie?!?!
YESSS !! Me too! He’ll always be Brad Carlton❣️
General Hospital
Who Should Justin Bruening Play on ‘General Hospital’? Wife Alexa Havins is Down for His Return to Soaps

Will General Hospital be able to reunite on-screen real live loves and former All My Children co-stars Justin Bruening and Alexa Havins, by casting Justin in a role on the ABC daytime drama series?
The subject came back up when Alexa, who attended the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, October 30 to root GH on to its sixth Outstanding Drama Series win in a row, spoke with Swoon.
Havins shared, “There’s always talk about him: ‘Is he going to come (on the show)?’ That would be amazing since we started (on a soap). Why not? He would definitely come in and play,”

Photo: ABC
IS IT TIME TO REUNITE JUSTIN AND ALEXA ON-SCREEN IN PORT CHARLES?
However, when taking to the red carpet, it was obvious Justin was not with his wife, and she clarified while she attended daytime’s biggest night, the former Jamie Martin of Pine Valley dropped her off at the Emmys, and went home to take of their four children. Alexa smiled, “Right now, he’s watching all my children. That’s my pun!”
Bruening and Havins married back in 2005. Recently, and as reported, Justin came to visit his wife at the set of General Hospital and posted some photos from it via his Instagram. One caption read directed towards Alexa, “You’re cute…..What are you doing the rest of your life? I’m thinking……… 4 kids? House in the burbs? 1,001 pets?”
General Hospital is also the current soap home of Bruening’s former TV father, Michael E. Knight (Martin Grey) who played Tad Martin on the beloved All My Children. So, if Justin nabs a role, he could be reunited with both his wife and Pine Valley father!
So, put your casting director hats on! If Justin Bruening were to come to General Hospital? Should be play an original role created for him? Should he be a recast for a character currently off the canvas? And, should he brought on as a love interest for Lulu Spencer or someone else? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
Raven Bowens Breaks Silence About Being Fired From ‘Days of our Lives’ and Her Future Plans

Days of our Lives actress Raven Bowens has opened about publicly about what happened when she learned back at the very beginning of 2026 that she was being let-go by the soap opera after playing Chanel Dupree for five years.
Bowens took to her TikTok and explained in a video what went down and how that helped inspire her next move in life. “On January 2nd, before I could even start on any of my New Year’s resolutions, I got fired,” shared Bowens after receiving a call from DAYS early that morning.
“For the backstory, I spent five years working on Days of Our Lives. I played Chanel Dupree. I love my character. I love the show. I love everyone that I worked with. I had just signed a new contract that was for nine months, but every three months, your contract can not be renewed or picked up.”

Photo: JPI
THE DREADED CALL
Chanel recalled the moment she found out. “It’s like, eight o’clock in the morning, and I am completely blindsided” Next, Bowens recalled saying to her sister in that moment, “‘Why would my producer be calling me on January 2nd? We don’t go back to work for a week. Something is going on. I think I’m getting fired.” Then, Chanel revealed, “I answered that call, and that is what that call was.”
As to the reason for her pink-slip, Raven shared, “I was told that they didn’t have a storyline for me at the moment and so they will be writing my character off at the end of my current storyline.”
Trying to buckle up after hearing she was being fired, Raven recalled, “While that isn’t fun, that is the business of show business, especially on soap operas. So it is what it is. That’s the contract I signed. I had to accept it. But it was a really hard reality.” She realized, “Having spent five years in Salem, I got comfortable. That was like my second home.”
RAVEN BOWENS EXITS DAYS ALONG WITH THREE OTHER ACTORS
As Days of our Lives fans know, Bowens along with her on-screen love Carson Boatman (Johnny), Leo Howard (Tate) and Ashley Puzemis (Holly) were also let go at the same time. Since DAYS tapes nearly 10-11 months in advance, Raven and Carson’s final airdates should be right around the corner, although nothing has been released.
After explaining the life-changing job news, Raven explained what she is up to next: “My next chapter is not my acting career ending because I’m an actress. I will always be an actress. I have sacrificed so much for this life and for this career and I love it. I will never give it up and I will never quit. However, losing the job made me realize the importance other streams of income.”
THE NEXT CHAPTER POST-DAYS
From there, Bowens encouraged fans to follow her journey on TikTok to become a millionaire by the end of 2027 with money and wealth management. In fact, she launched a new TikTok series, Millionaire Pending where she plans to document the financial journey she is with advice from a financial adviser, wealth coach and her father.
Bowens explained, “When that job ended, I was kind of shocked. I had felt a certain sense of security, even working in a non-secure profession, and I didn’t really prepare. This series is me trying to put myself in a position so that nothing like this ever happens again.”
So what do you think about Raven coming forward with how her dismissal from Days of our Lives went down? Will you miss Chanel and Johnny when they eventually exit Salem? Will you be interested to check out Raven’s wealth management series on TikTok to see if you can pick up any pointers for financial security and success? Let us know via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Favorite Alison Sweeney Launches New Podcast ‘Between Takes’

Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady, Days of our Lives) is jumping head first into the celebrity podcast rage with the launch of hers entitled, Between Takes with Alison Sweeney.
In between her busy schedule of Hallmark Channel movies, features, TV appearances and returns to Days of our Lives, Sweeney will now feature special guests each episode as previewed in her Instagram video clip announcing the new podcast series.
Accompanying her video, Sweeney expressed, “Trying something new! Check out my new podcast. Just fun casual chats with my friends. Links are in my bio.”

Photo: Hallmark
The first episode features former DAYS star and Hallmark Channel mainstay, Victor Webster (ex-Nicholas Alamain). It was back from 1999-2000 that Victor first appeared on the then NBC soap opera.
As previously reported, Sweeney will be reprising her role of Sami on Days of our Lives, next summer in June when she returns along with several fan favorites for a story arc.
During Alison’s premiere of “Between Takes,” Webster shares stories of his time on DAYS, being a proud dog dad, and globetrotter, plus working on action scenes and for Victor, taking over from The Rock in the the Scorpion King franchise appearing in Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption. Alison and Victor also chat about their time on sets.
You can listen to Between Takes with Alison Sweeney on all major podcast streaming platforms; including Apple Podcasts here.
So, will you be checking out Alison’s podcast as it continues to grow? Intrigued who from Days of our Lives and the soaps might chat it up with her in future episodes? Let us know in the comment section.
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