News
The Making Of Y&R's Plane Crash! Production Designer David Hoffmann & Cast Give A Behind-The-Scenes Look!

Courtesy/YahooTv
The Young and the Restless is about to have some major catastrophic events hit the residents of Genoa City beginning on the Friday, February 13th episode!
In one of the story set-ups: Devon (Bryton James), Hilary (Mishael Morgan), Neil (Kristoff St. John) , Colin (Tristan Rogers), Jill (Jess Walton), Cane (Daniel Goddard) and Lily (Christel Khalil) are aboard a plane that is traveling to Chicago, but it hits turbulence, and a snow storm, and crashes.
This is one of the main stories being delivered for February Sweeps by Y&R’s newest head writer, Chuck Pratt Jr. known for some heavy duty disaster storylines on his previous written works on daytime and primetime soaps .
Yahoo TV has a story and a video package on how the plane crash was executed on the production side through the narrative as told by Y&R production designer, David Hoffmann. He related that to make the plane crash “look” as real as possible that the design process actually started with research: looking for pictures of actual plane crashes and finding resources for where to get pieces of wrecked planes. Once the props were found, the production team only had a few days to get the sound stage transformed. In addition to fork-lifting huge pieces of plane wreckage to the site, more than 300 platforms of varying heights were installed, snow equipment was brought in, and tons of “snow” blanketed trees that were added to create the wintry crash scene.
Included in the video package, and behind the scenes look are Y&R cast members: Kristoff St. John, Mishael Morgan, Bryton James, Daniel Goddard, and Jess Walton.
Watch the video after the jump on the making of the plane crash. Then tell us, what you think of the set? Do you think any of the characters will die? How will lives be changed from the passengers on-board the flight by this incident? Comment below!
Days Of Our Lives
‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast
After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.

Photo: NBC
There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.
The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.
In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.
Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.

Photo: NBC
Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”
As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”
The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.
So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
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?
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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Looks harrowing! Set designers did a good job.
So, does Neil admit he can see?
Looks like Hilary is injured and Devon is tending to her.
Looks pretty good…someone, maybe Colin, will notice Neil can see and later blackmail him…hope the plane lands on the long thought dead Dru Winters and we see a pair of ruby slippers she was wearing sticking out from underneath the wreckage…lol
Ha Ha 🙂
Aww, jimh. Another decomposed body, on another soap? LOL
Jim, dont say the word “Blackmail!” Sictoria Rowell may be listening!
Wished Sharon found out it was her Adam . They are the best couple ever to hit the sheets on Daytime 🙂
Chelsea or Victor would be fine by me if they are gone. Chelsea does not belong to Adam. The days of Sharon and Adam were the most romantic steamy loving tender. Nick can have anyone he wants but threatens Sharon by taking Faith away and yet he was the reason Faith was stolen leaving Sharon for Phyllis in a mental hospital and playing with Sharons emotions. Nick doesn’t deserve Sharons love. Why does Victor and Nikki and Phyllis always get free passes to do criminal acts and Sharon is the person who is never allowed to be happy
This show is FANTASTIC! There are so many different stories peaking at this time. The airplane crash is very real. The Penthouse fire is unbelievable! Really a way to get Adam back with Chelsey and have a hidden secret of identity! Then let’s not forget the Underground disaster. Then the murder at the Abbott cabin. Cannot wait to see the show tomorrow! The writers are great ones! Just keep us entertained!
Chelsea can be so fake. I have no idea why she is still on this show . Sorry I find her annoying
Towards the end of the video everyone has blood on them but I can’t see anyone worse off than the other so maybe the one who dies is not on the plane. That Abbott cabin in the woods Summer’s husband left the party. Sharon is with Faith but the lights flicker, and the underground has drywall falling from the ceiling. The first video we saw showed Nikki,Victor, Phyllis so I think a lot of people are going to the underground & that’s where someone dies.
I hope its not another storyline where Dullyn does a repair job to the “Underground” like he did at Sharon’s house!
I have to give a BRAVO for the plane crash set. well done!
I am one of very few who likes Pratt..
I knew he would create a huge entrance to tell all ; I HAVE ARRIVED!
My only disappointment is– the plane did not crash into Cassies gave..
Picture it– Sharon at Cassies gave for the 3045th time giving one of her sniveling speeches and BANG the plane crashes on it and takes them out, now that would be AWESOME!!
Nonetheless, it was a great moment for Y&R to finally have some action (thanks Pratt!
Now let’s get to the kill list… (Pratts like to kill-off the big ones for sensational stories 😉
Totally sick!
Yeah, that is a bit much.
Su…how can it take ‘them’ out if Sharon is the only one at the grave…Cassie is already dead!!!
lol good one, jimh.. 🙂
but-
Cassie is always still there she is not dead enough..
that grave is a pulpit for Sharons rantings for a decade and more..
the plane crashing on the grave while Sharon was doing her 34423erd grave rant, would be cool ..
LOL ohh it was just a dream, jimh, just a dream, is all ..
Kudus to Pratt– he gave us some action and it was good!
I hope he keeps the action going!! I always liked Pratts mind/writing ..
People grieve for dead children every day, they aren’t just plot points and people forget about them. YR should be applauded for keeping Cassie’s memory alive. That’s a bit harsh.
Hey, Su. You are kidding, right? You are aware that a cemetery is Holy ground, right? I know you are kidding. That’s sacrilegious , so I will assume you are totally being cute…
Let Sharon have her pulpit, su. I will take into consideration that probably you never lost a child. That pain is a breathing, living companion for the rest of a mother’s life. Trust me, I KNOW.
Sharon is the personification of every mother mourning(not ranting) the loss of her child forevermore and beyond. Cherish what you have . This is a soap but it exemplifies reality….at least, this aspect of Y&R. I have found that this is the only soap that remembers its dead, especially children.
It Pratt’s intention is to repel the sanctity of what is dear to people (especially their departed loved ones) then, I see very sadistic writing in the making. I find no joy in other people’s misfortune. Therefore, I pray Pratt will not accommodate your lust for gore, Su.
You will not believe, Su, how many charities I support……mostly anonymous for sick children.
Thank you Cee-Cee lovely post!
the soap is not real life..
it is campy fictional stories.. no one is dead ..
no other soap has a tombstone as a pulpit for speeches and many many children have died on soaps and none have their tombstone used as a prop..
I agree with k/kay about your lovely post…i too know what its like to loose a child…i was not the parent but i had to bury an infant nephew whom i was going to raise…he’d be 15 this year…ill always wonder how he’d turn out…his gravesite is near my mothers and another nephew who passed from cancer in his 30s and left behind a wife and 3 daughters…i visit the gravesites of my relatives several times a year…it makes me still feel very close to them…i even update my mother on Days Of Our Lives…she was preparing to watch it on the day she died but had a stroke before that day’s episode air…some might think thats corny but its my way of keeping them a part of my life…peace!!!
jimh ,,I’m so sorry for your loss.. I buried most of my family..
but- that is real life real people not a make believe characters..
Cassie is not dead, no actor is dead, no one is dead..
it is not a real tombstone
it is not a real cemetery ..
Cassies tombstone is a prop and a tool for Sharon’s rantings for over a decade to depress people and is very campy overkill for a dead character ..
It’s horrible to use a child’s character, a dead child character as a story tool to make some people feel sad it is just not right to use the death of a child to generate snivels in a scene, its just not right to use the childs death even if a character, to make some people feel bad….
(people grieve, pay homage give respect and tears for real people in real graves.
Sorry, I still want both gone .. ( no cookies for me lol ..
Looks like an amazing set for an even more incredible storyline; I’m very excited about it!
Nice to see some money being put into a soap story.
Charles Pratt was the one behind the killing of AMC. He was the worst writer. Good luck Y&R. Between he and JFP things are not good.
AMC died 2 years ‘after’ Pratt was gone..
He gave a great tornado and one kill,,
It was Pratt who killed Dixie with poison pancakes, yes?
I never could stand Dixie so another gold star for Pratt!! 🙂
Y&R is going to have some needed changes!
GO PRATT !
Pratt didn’t kill Dixie with poisonous pancakes, that was McTavish.
He did not kill AMC it was being talked about taken off the air long before he came on the scene.
This is amazing. The crew (ALL) did a wonderful job. I can’t wait to see it unfold. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Yes!
It was very good. indeed !!!
double take on: “amazing”
this makes for giddy production excite
yes, LOL… excitable happenings
hey : I will bring up Days of OUR Lives in it’s entirety… plays out in the horton square and surrounding park….
oy! lame … a diss on OUR show of shows
this generates top draw… kudos to Y&R product
some serious bore going on with Neil, Devon, and Lilly… specifically with Devon… did I say DEVON … Lilly never really triggered any thing… other than Cane in all his presence ooh la la’d for Lilly. Neil has grown in to his own… and just needs a good costar… when will that ever happen?
ps: Sharon and Adam would generate this much excite as well
it looks damned GOOD
Should be a great show.
So looking forward to seeing this tomorrow. I guess Neil will sober up instantly after he downed the glass of scotch today before he delivered his bombshell that he could see. Glad that Canadian fans are 1 day ahead of the US.
Well, you know the only thing we’ll probably see on Friday is the plane descend. They want us back on Monday!
You were right…they didnt show the crash…and want us back on Monday…p.s. and thats about the blackmail warning above…lol
Looks like a lot of ff for me. One of the last things I’m interested in is a plane crash and the fallout from it. Enough of that type stuff on the news, and I won’t watch that either.
I think a plane crash disaster is a good way for CP to come in shake things up. A disaster like this will be great motivation to drive characters to act both in character and out. He may be able to right some wrongs that have been done by previous wirting regimes.
Kinda’ sorta’ like this:
Hilary dies. We can totally do without her. Because we don’t care about Devon either. A ba-zillionaire? C’mon!
Colin dies. This character has gone no where anyway. Leave Jill on her own and she’ll be way more fun.
THe crash causes Neil goes to go blind again. (By the way, he should continue to meet Nikki at the dive bar. I’m loving these two gettin’ drunk together and I hope that they start laughin’ soon and havin’ fun. Its’ a bar!)
Since Neil is blind again and never ‘fessed up to seeing, he’d have no credibility with anyone but Devon that he saw his boy and his wife in the sack. Devon could convince Lily that Neil doesn’t know what he’s talking about and Colin is dead so he can’t give him away. And Cane is a wimp.
I’m still hoping that Neil gets Hilary in the sack and has a great time and then gives his son the elbow and a couple of wink winks! They talk like that. Ewww.
Devon has tremendous guilt and continues to lie to his dad about his relationship with the now dead Hilary (buh bye) but promises to be a better man. Maybe he’ll even leave town to do good charity work somewhere and leave the big businesses to actual business people.
So, what, the plane crashes into the Newman cabin where all the other people in Genoa City are having a VD party? Ok.
Victor crashes the party because no one would invite him and after the plane hits and he’s injured he’s alone with Sharon who saves him. He starts remembering how much he loved Sharon (remember, Sharon and Katherine were the only two people that Victor always stood up for. They were the only ones that Victor had compassion for.) Katherine is dead and Sharon, while off her meds, burned Vic’s house down. And he finally remembers that she’s one of the two people he truly loves and forgives her.
Nikki, is sitting on the edge of the couch when the house rocks and falls on her butt, and says, “oh, my MS!” but no one notices because the house is on fire and other people are dying.
Austin dies and this ultimately motivates Summer to become a nun and stop pouting, and she does good work in GC. She’s an important legacy character and needs to stick around. Phyllis will ask her why she wants to wear the long black dress all the time.
Chelsea, Billy, Sage, Gabriel/Adam, Victoria, Stitch and Nick are all trapped together …. under the roof of the Abbot Barn, yeah …. and like the Ricardo and the Mertzs stranded on the Alp, each confesses who they really want to be with except for Nick who is still wishy washy and realizes they just might be saved ……
This is a good way for Pratt to get rid of the fat. Hilary and Devon survive because Neil has to screw with them for a while. Although Colin is a waste, he just signed on for another year. Austin wont die because him and Summer will be in a triangle with Kyle. I dont know, maybe Lilly goes? She is holding Cane down for sure.
Oh brother, Pratt’s BS is here. Death & destruction hits Genoa City. How predictable can you get? Get the morgue ready, the bodies will be piling up quickly.
Honestly, if there were no survivors on board would it really be a big loss to the cast? Oh, and can we have Dylan be a pilot! Oh, alright, Cane survives BUT only if he gets a good story line!
In a perfect storyline Cane and his dad are gone forever. Lily finds a new and interesting lover. Meanwhile, back in Genoa City, Kelly, Ben and Billy are buried underground never to be found.
I thought I was the only one who couldn’t digest Cane, penny…Ugh. He brings Lilly down. I wish Daniel would come back…sigh!
lily and tyler were hot and real! lily was helping the bad boy face his father! too bad ptb dumped that because lane fans were threatened by their chemistry.
nows a perfect time to bring back tyler for lily and leslie for neil!!