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Y&R’s Michelle Stafford Continues Tradition and Hosts Ladies Luncheon with Daytime Emmy Nominees for Lead and Supporting Actress

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: MCE IG

Daytime Emmy week is in full swing, with the kick-off the annual tradition of the ladies luncheon. The first ladies luncheon was hosted by Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie, The Bold and the Beautiful). In the format, the winner of last year’s Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, picks up the tab, and picks the venue for this year’s nominees in the Lead Actress category.

In recent years, past winners who host the get-together, have decided to include Lead and Supporting Actress nominees. That tradition was also carried through by last year’s lead actress winner, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) of The Young and the Restless who held the lunch at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood.

Over the weekend, photo snaps appeared on Instagram including from Stafford who shared that “Before you start yelling at me, The gals you don’t see in this pictures, Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis, GH), Laura Wright (Carly, GH), Kate Mansi (Kristina, GH), Sharon Case (Sharon, GH), Emily O’Brien (Gwen, DAYS) and Linsey Godfrey (Sarah, DAYS) were not able to come.”

Photo: JPI

However, those participating were, Lead Actress nominees, Eileen Davidson (Ashley, Y&R) and Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea, Y&R) and Supporting Actress nominees, Susan Walters (Diane, Y&R) and Courtney Hope (Sally, Y&R).

Stafford’s Instagram post shared: “The ladies who lunch❤️ Carrying on this tradition that was started by the great Susan Flannery This year we celebrated the Lead and Supporting Actresses… before some of you start yelling at me. The gals who you don’t see in this picture Nancy Lee Grahn, Laura Wright, Kate Mansi, Sharon Case, Emily O’Brien and Linsey Godfrey were not able to come We missed you gorgeous ladies!! ❤️ This was a beautiful time! I love these women: Eileen Davidson, Susan Walters, Courtney Hope, Melissa Claire Egan. Such great conversation! Pinky swears were made!! I have more pics to come!! Thank you #ciccones thank you @anyonecanbakeit ❤️ Next… The Emmys! It’s gonna be a fun night!!”

Meanwhile, Melissa Claire Egan also took to Instagram and expressed, “What a day! LOVED celebrating the Lead & Supporting Actress Emmy nominations alongside this incredible group of women and friends. Stories were told, pinky promises were made (even our waiter got in on it), and many laughs were had. Looking forward to celebrating them all and our daytime community on Friday! Thanks for hosting, @therealstafford. These women are so hilarious, talented, and beautiful. Also I’m reminded how much shorter I am than all of them. See you Friday!”

You can check out Michelle Stafford’s ladies luncheon post below, which also contains heartfelt messages from the other nominees who could not make the event in the thread.

The 52nd annual Daytime Emmys will be handed out on Friday, October 17 in ceremonies emanating from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena California, and will be streamed live beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT via watch.theemmys.tv and The Emmys app.

Share your thoughts on the annual ladies luncheon featuring the nominees for Lead and Supporting Actress in the comment section below.

 

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How convenient that it wound up being a Y&R only luncheon.

I think I would have rescheduled until more ladies could come…but that’s just me…

Do not worry when you nominate that many from one show they usually cross each other out. I don’t watch any of them anymore but I would guess NLG will probably take it. But I do not have a horse in the race.

I am really thinking something is up with this they should have found a time more could attend it is not the young and the restless emmy lunch its in bad taste obviously!

Is MCE ( Chelsea) Amish? Not that there is anything wrong with that.

It was nice having the Daytime Emmys back on regular TV in recent years, so the highest possible number of people could watch it. But I guess this is a product of their idiotic decision to move the awards for 2024 to almost the end of 2025, none of the networks wanted to pre-empt their regularly scheduled programming when the new TV season just started.

That it’s back on streaming only is a major step back. I’ve already had a couple older friends and relatives ask me how to watch it, and it’s hard explaining to them that it’s not on regular TV on CBS, NBC, or ABC, and it’s not on one of the major streamers that they know how to use like Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Prime etc.

I’m so glad the tradition is continuing. I bet all of them have a great time.

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

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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.

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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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