News
Y&R’s Christel Khaill Opens Up on Billy Flynn and Cane Recast, “It Doesn’t Feel like We’re Trying to Have Someone Step in Daniel Goddard’s Shoes”
As the action picked up today on The Young and Restless, Lily (Christel Khalil) was still reeling from the fact that she, and many others in the French Riviera, were waiting for Billionaire businessman, Aristotle Dumas, only to find out Dumas is actually be Lily’s ex-husband and the father of her children, Mattie and Charlie, Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn).
Behind the scenes when Billy Flynn decided to head to The Young and the Restless after 11 years as Days of our Lives as Chad DiMera, it seems he may have been a bit in the dark until Y&R executive producer and head writer, Josh Griffith filled him in that he would actually be playing Cane Ashby, previously played by Daniel Goddard.
Now in a new interview with TV Insider, Christel Khalil, revealed she too was in the dark until just a few weeks before taping scenes with Flynn. “I didn’t realize they were bringing Cane back until a week or two before he started,” recalled the actress. “I was super excited; it was such a great character, and it was a shame to not have the character there.”
Photo: CBS
As for fans and the future of the couple known as “Lane,” Khalil added, “I feel like the story is very compelling, and I think if fans can look at it with a new lens, they’ll really like it. I think the good thing that Josh has done is he’s completely changed the character of Cane.”
While Daniel Goddard is now over at General Hospital as Professor Henry Dalton, he previously had a long run as Lily’s love interest from 2007-2019, before being written off the canvas. With Billy Flynn taking on the role now and Josh Griffith’s sort of reboot of the character, Khalil shared she has no reservation on its direction, explaining, “It doesn’t feel like we’re trying to have someone step in Daniel Goddard’s shoes. It’s pretty much an entirely new character, so it’s been interesting to have scenes because we have the history there, but it’s a little bit different. They’ve also added in flashbacks that Lily has of interactions that she and Cane have had in the past, five or six years (since he’s been gone). So, it’s almost a little bit of a new relationship again, in a way.”
Photo: JPI
As for Billy Flynn in the role, “At the end of the day, it’s not going to be the same Cane. It’s a completely different person, and I really hope that everybody gives Billy a chance and tries to look at the character through new eyes, because it is a new person, and honestly, it’s a new character. He’s nothing like Daniel Goddard, and that’s kind of the point. The point was to make this character something completely different. And so hopefully people give it a chance and look at it like a new relationship rather than like an old one coming back.”
Photo: JPI
So, are you looking forward to seeing how the on-screen chemistry hopefully sizzles between Billy Flynn and Christel Khalil? Do you think it will be a very cold day in hell after what Cane pulled that Lily would ever take him back, or as is soap tradition, over time her tough exterior may melt away and she may find herself smitten with nuCane? What do you think of Josh Griffith’s decision to reboot the character?
Share your thoughts in the comment section and make sure to join us tomorrow night on Tuesday, June 23rd when Billy Flynn chats live on the Michael Fairman Channel beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
I am definitely in to giving Billy Flynn a chance he has always been great in Days! Josh Griffith can be very hit or miss with his writing so time will tell and as far as Daniel Goddard is concerned the last couple years of his run was such a bust I could have cared less
Can’t even remember Goddard’s last years. Yes, couldn’t care less.
She keeps pushing that it’s like a new character, as though that’s a good thing. Either it’s an old character returned or it’s brand new, you can’t have it both ways.
Reminds me of when people try to get back together with an ex and pretend the first relationship didn’t happen. Sorry, but no. You can’t just erase history – no matttr how much Josh Griffiths tries.
Revisionist history goes against everything soaps stand for. The whole point of having a long history is to honor and respect it, and thus the audience, the vets, and the whole platform.
uh, he lost his accent and had plastic surgery and shrunk 6 inches? Okay……..
In addition to that, he’s a good decade or more younger than he was when he left – just like Tucker McCall. I’ve christened this trend SOBBS (Soap Opera Benjamin Button Syndrome).
If we are to look at him as a new character, then why on earth didn’t Josh just create a new character, it would have made more sense, then do a drastic redo of Cane.
The only thing that might save this at this point is if there’s another twist coming later on. Perhaps this isn’t really Cane, but someone who Colin has planted to impersonate his son, and that Colin isn’t really dead. I know it’s been done before, but so far I am having a hard time believing this guy is Cane.
And whether he is Cane or not, why is he being played like a robot. Am I the only one annoyed that the character has the same look on his face in all his scenes so far?- He was seeing the love of his life for the first time in years and he had the same look on his face as when he telling his manservant to get the guests ready, which is the same look he had talking business with Victor. It feels odd.
Nice to see you back making a post you are right on. This won’t go anywhere that’s why I have not tuned in yet JG does the same thing over and over expecting a different result . Billy Flynn should have called Maura West as I mentioned last week she probably would have said stay where you are.
agree.
Soap viewers put up with outrageous storylines, convoluted timelines, and children aging magically overnight. We begrudgingly accept these most of the time.
What we do not appreciate, is being treated as dumb or stupid. This train is headed in that direction.
agreed
Christel Khalil is one of the few bright spots on Y&R. She deserves a good story, heck all of the actors do. Sadly, based on Griffith’s past disappointments, I feel this story will go absolutely nowhere.
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.
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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Who Should Justin Bruening Play on ‘General Hospital’? Wife Alexa Havins is Down for His Return to Soaps
Raven Bowens Breaks Silence About Being Fired From ‘Days of our Lives’ and Her Future Plans
Roger Howarth Reflects on Daytime Emmy Win, 32-Year Record Gap, and Embracing Matt Clark on ‘The Young and the Restless’ (Exclusive)
Y&R’s Bryton James and Christel Khalil Crossover to ‘Beyond the Gates’ (Sneak Peek)
DAYS Favorite Alison Sweeney Launches New Podcast ‘Between Takes’
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners: ‘General Hospital’ Takes Drama Series, Tamara Tunie and Scott Clifton Top Acting Honors
Who Should Win Outstanding Lead Actor at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards? (Poll)
Could Justin Bruening Join ‘General Hospital’? Set Visit with Wife Alexa Havins Stirs Fan Hopes
Y&R’s Jason Thompson and Mark Grossman Deliver the ‘Power Performances of the Week’
Who Should Win Outstanding Daytime Drama at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards? (Poll)
Y&R’s Bryton James and Christel Khalil Crossover to ‘Beyond the Gates’ (Sneak Peek)
‘Days of our Lives’ Fall Preview Reveals Sofia Mattsson as Chloe Lane and New Storyline Twists!
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Brennan’s Body is Found, Heather Makes Her Reentry into Port Charles
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Heartfelt Speech He Had Planned If He Had Won Lead Actor at the Daytime Emmys
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