News
‘The Young and the Restless’ Names New Co-Head Writers: Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor
After much speculation as to how the head writing regime would shape up after longtime scribe Josh Griffith made the decision to step down at The Young and the Restless, soap fans have their answer.
Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor have been named co-head writers of the CBS daytime drama per TV Insider. It was back in June that Josh Griffith announced his decision to step down as the head writer of the top-rated soap opera. A few months earlier, Griffith also made the decision to step away from his duties as the series executive producer as well.
For Jamey Giddens, this opportunity gives the former soap journalist, co-founder and editorial director of Daytime Confidential turned much-heralded soap writer, the chance to steer the ship of a broadcast network daytime drama series.
Photo: JPI
Giddens had currently been on the writing team of the 15-time Daytime Emmy-nominated Beyond the Gates where he serves as writer under creator and head writer, Michele Val Jean.
JAMEY GIDDENS AND DAN O’CONNOR JOURNEY TO THE NUMBER ONE SOAP
Prior to joining Beyond the Gates, Giddens served on the writing team of Days of Our Lives from 2020-2025, and had been a writer for the Peacock spin-off limited-series Days of Our Lives; Beyond Salem.
Giddens is already a WGA and Emmy winner and has the distinction for being nominated for two Daytime Emmys this year at the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on both Beyond the Gates and Days of Our Lives. In addition, in 2019-2020, Jamey served as the head writer on OWN’s Ambitions under Will Packard.
Those who followed the career of Emmy and WGA-winning writer, Dan O’Connor know that he got his soap start on the writing team of One Life to Live. When the ABC soap was cancelled, he eventually moved over to General Hospital in 2013 where he had held various positions over the years including associate head writer, breakdown writer and most recently, co-head writer until he left in 2024. He also was on the Days of Our Lives writing team in the summer of 2024.
Photo: JPI
JOSH GRIFFITH WINDS DOWN HIS TENURE
It is noted that Josh Griffith continued in his role as head writer with The Young and the Restless while the series and Sony were looking for his successors. The cast and crew were notified that Jamey and Dan are set to begin next week in their co-head scribe duties.
This move also marks the first time since 2013 that Y&R has gone the co-head writer route. The last duo was Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante. They were followed in succession starting in 2015 with Chuck Pratt Jr, Sally Sussman Morina, Mal Young and then in 2019 by Josh Griffith.
So, what do you think of The Young and the Restless choosing Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor as the new co-head writers of the number #1 daytime drama? Looking forward to seeing how their visions change the landscape of the lives of the citizens of Genoa City? Weigh-in via the comment section.
A change is a change, and this is a change.
Look, I have disliked Jamey Giddens’ scripts on Beyond the Gates since his debut. And he lives in a fan fiction-type world. But he does have a passionate feeling towards The Young and the Restless, so this could be a good shift for him. Provided he does not bring the nastiness that he learnt from Ron Carlivati or the ratchetness he tried with Ambitions.
Dan O’Connor I always felt he was the stronger co-head when he was at General Hospital. Wishing him luck in his new position.
Let’s give them both a chance to come in, see what shifts they make, and how their stories play out beyond one week.
Sounds promising. I gave up this 30 year old habit about 5 years ago due to redundant, circular writing that seemingly went nowhere. I watched talented actors sitting before uneaten food have the same conversations over and over. Periodically I tube in to check the status quo and last Tuesday there was a one woman show featuring Blind Nikki having a conversation with….well, herself, as she stumbled around in the dark at the Newman ranch house That was the entire show. Sigh. It can only get better from here. Let’s hope both Nikki and Y&R get their vision and footing back.
Let’s hope both Nikki and Y&R get their vision and footing back.
Well, surprise, she got her vision back! We can only hope that this new writing regime, under executive production by Sally McDonald, can begin writing so many wrongs. It will take patience and time.
Thank you. So Nikki must have regained her eye-sight on that episode I mentioned? I confess, I lost interest and stopped watching when she started yelling,” Stop it! Stop it!” at some invisible enemy- I think it was Patty-Cake Williams. Let us look at Nikki as a metaphor that suggests Y&R will regain its vision.
It was sometime this week that she regained her eyesight. I admittedly stopped watching this week as the storylines are just so insulting to me to watch. I’ll probably check back in next week.
Is it a good thing (or bad) that neither of them has a history with Y&R?
Giddens has shown promise in the industry. O’Connor proved to be the weaker of the Chris & Dan pairing. That said, this combination could work.
That TV Insider broke this story shows how far DC has fallen since Giddens departed.
Finally! Hoping the days of silly chat over coffee in every scene will be gone for good!!!
Y/R is a mess right now and has been for many years, except when Gina T was on it as Phyllis. She had the role and the show on a roll, sometimes it’s takes someone like her to get fans back and scripts too. I couldn’t miss a day of Y/R when she was on. After letting her go for the former Phyllis the show went to hell and it’s been that way for years now, BB for the 30min it’s on is on fire currently. Y/R storylines are awful and boring, and I am like why am I wasting my time with this when Inside Edition is better to watch.
i don’t understand the feeling that people have of Gina T as Phyliss Michelle Stafford owns the role hands down
We’ve been asking for a change and hopefully we get it. The multiple kidnappings, the AI mess along with the corporate takeover storylines from Griffith, hopefully we are in for something that will knock our socks off and have us tuning in on the regular.
The one thing that worries me about GIDDENS is that he takes ranch to an extreme. I could only watch the first episode of ambitions, and I was disgusted and never looked at it again.
His idea of passion/romance is not for me I do not want to watch soft porn on daytime television on any television for that matter. I hope that that is not the type of stories he will be pushing for a young and the restless..
I know what you mean. That kind of soft porn on daytime is so appalling that I almost have to look away. Thank God for my pearls!
He will have to answer to CBS and Sony Pictures Television, and I do not imagine they are going to allow the Ambitions-type storytelling. At all. Plus, that was a cable-based primetime series. CBS and Sony hold a lot of weight right now, plus they also have Sally McDonald as executive producer to contend with and the stories she is going to want to have be told.
This is a good thing, but do they know the characters on Y&R, since they haven’t written for them?
In any case, the show needs more action and a faster pace! I like action (catfights, deaths, weddings, mysteries, new characters, villains, fistfights).
Besides 80s Y&R, I really enjoyed it when Maria Arena Bell was the head writer. I remember during her time, every episode was like a Friday episode (that’s what we need nowadays with so many other options).
I’d like for the new writers to pair up Audra & Adam, Kyle & Victoria and Sharon & Det Burrows.
The show should bring on Ashley fulltime (I love my Abbotts).
Sorry, just giving my 2 cents!
Peace!
p.s. Loved the recent scene with Lauren and the Abbotts women! Classic Y&R!
p.s.s. Who do we need to contact to tell them to bring back the classic Y&R background musical cues???
This is a good thing, but do they know the characters on Y&R, since they haven’t written for them?
While I am not a Jamey Giddens fan, I can say that based on their tenure at Daytime Confidential, they did have a pretty good view point on The Young and the Restless and its history, et al.
Glad to know these 2 new writers know the characters! 🙂
Looks like they SHOULD bring back Summer, since she’s talked about every week on the show! LOL And how come Nikki’s sister Casey is NEVER mentioned, especially when Nikki was blind for a few weeks! I love to see her again (so would Nikki, literally)!
And I can’t stress this enough…Please bring back the background music/musical cues, heads @ Y&R!!!
Bring back Paul Williams!!!! He was on the show from 1978 until Josh Griffith took over. He was with Nikki and was married to Lauren and really could rile things up if he came back to Genoa City.
In response to your first question, Josh Griffith knows more about the characters than most recent writers, given how long he’s been a part of the Y&R team in various roles… and look at all the good that’s done for the writing. This change is badly needed.
For once, I think I’m glad Y&R doesn’t air down here in Hell.
I don’t know exactly what Giddens wrote while he was at Days, but the timing suggests he probably had something to do with that “Body and Soul” fiasco. And O’Connor was definitely writing GH during their worst period in recent history, the three year long nightmare of Tricky Dick Nixon Falls, and the aftermath of that which dragged the show down into the sewer until March 2024.
I also saw rumors elsewhere that a certain void of talent person who stunk up GH during the ReRon era might also be joining Y&R.
In either case, y’all have sympathy FROM the Devil for what you are about to deal with.
I don’t know exactly what Giddens wrote while he was at Days, but the timing suggests he probably had something to do with that “Body and Soul” fiasco.
Giddens was only a scriptwriter at Days of Our Lives, so he was only in charge of dialogue, not story.
And O’Connor was definitely writing GH during their worst period in recent history, the three year long nightmare of Tricky Dick Nixon Falls, and the aftermath of that which dragged the show down into the sewer until March 2024.
I attribute that to Chris Van Etten more than I do O’Connor. O’Connor is a much stronger writer than Van Etten could ever hope to be.
Well, Satan. I liked Nixon Falls. It was the first and last time I liked Sonny. So there’s that.
I am absolutely tickled pink! Jamey’s dream of writing for #YR!! Jamey’s journey to Co-Write this once proud and shining show! It’s also extremely thrilling that those of us that have been around when Jamey was writing for DC! What a ride, Jamey! Come on, let’s get rid of the dead weight that’s weighing the show down, always give an actor/actress at least 6 months to gel with the cast and perform in the manner in which the head writer wrote and in which direction the writer wants the character to go in.
As for Dan O’Conner, I know absolutely nothing about his writing as he’s been onshows that I don’t watch. But I will give him some latitude during the first 6-10 months that he’s writing #YR.
Here’s my 2 cents on what I would like to see from the new co-head writers:
1–Get rid of sets that just don’t work anymore
2–Stop stunt casting (it just doesn’t work and it’s ridiculous)
3–Get the younger set woven into the fabric of this show (Connor, Johnny and Katie).
4–Bring Mattie and Charlie back as the post teen set. Can’t have Lily and Cane on the canvas getting serious again and not having their kids giving them an earful before they go too far relationship wise.
5–Age Aria and Dominic and have them hang out with each other and Kyle’s son, Harrison.
6–It’s time to bring Summer Newman back. She’s been absent since she left GC and to wherever she went.
7–TBH, I really didn’t want Cane back at all because the character was an Aussie and finding another Aussie that is in the age range sounds daunting for me to play the role was the one reason why I didn’t want the character back. However, Billy Flynn has won me over.
8–Indulge me on this one……Bring Paul Williams back…..played by someone else since there’s no way that they would bring Doug Davidson back for a short stint. Anyone have any ideas as to who you would like to see take over the role temporarily?? Too many people would be seizing over if that happened. I say this to bring Paul back and remand his sister Patty to a maximum security prison for women overseas. In doing so, she never darkens GC’s front door ever again.
9–Wind down the Matt Clark SL (I love me some Roger Howarth, trust me, but I’m sick and tired of all of the times that this show brings a villainous character back) and put that man in a grave in which everyone in town watched get buried for good. Sienna and Noah…..an odd pairing given that both actors played Mom and Son on DOOL. Granted yes, they seem to have shaken their previous pairing on another show.
Someone asked either on here or another site about bringing back the music crew that was at the show until Jill Faren Phelps came in and fired them as one of her initial decisions with the show. Is she even still listed as a Producer with Y&R? I swear Josh hired her back but I also don’t recall seeing her name in the credits. Last I heard was that they got scooped up by Brad Bell to work at B&B. Are they even still working at Bold or not?
Okay, I’ve done enough writing for now. I’ll check back and see if anyone has anything that they’d like to share. I’m so looking forward to Jamey and Dan’s scripts!
1–Get rid of sets that just don’t work anymore
Writers have nothing to do with sets, lol. They only work with the sets available to them.
8–Indulge me on this one……Bring Paul Williams back…..played by someone else since there’s no way that they would bring Doug Davidson back for a short stint. Anyone have any ideas as to who you would like to see take over the role temporarily?? Too many people would be seizing over if that happened. I say this to bring Paul back and remand his sister Patty to a maximum security prison for women overseas. In doing so, she never darkens GC’s front door ever again.
HELL NO! Keep MAGA off of that set. Plus, he’s been given offers to return (per his own admission) and has declined them each and every single time.
Is she even still listed as a Producer with Y&R?
She is in the booth, where she is happy being uncredited (per her own choice).
Scott, if you go back and re-read what I said about Paul Williams. I said that it should be played by someone else OTHER THAN Doug Davidson, if only to just usher Patty off to an international maximum security prison. There’s no way in sam hell that I would want Doug Davidson back for even an under 5 line scene, no way, no how.
They’re not going to recast a character that was played by someone for 40 years. I’m sure everyone’s favorite frustrated publicist will correct me if I’m wrong though.
Again, it’s not needed. The character of Paul is not needed to usher Patty off-canvas, nor is a recast needed. They have handled the character of Paul Williams at this point. There is no need to backtrack for a simple guest spot.
Have a lot of faith in Dan O’Connor
as long as Eric Braiden/Victor continues to be the focal point then il give them a chance…the minute we get ppl like Devon as the focal point im out
Congratulations to Jamey Giddens. This is a dream come true for him. Wishing him the best. I hope that he and his co head writer look hard at what has worked and failed to work on the show. The show has its moments but has not been consistently good since the maligned Maria Bell tenure.
My take. There is too much corporate drama on this show. And the corporate takeovers always lead to no where. Rinse, Repeat. There are no working class people on the show. There are no doctor’s, teachers, policeman or nurses and not even a hospital set. There are too many criminals on the show. Almost everyone woman on the show has committed a crime that deserves jail time. The show has no romance other than Victor and Nicki. There needs to be romance for people under 60. There is no younger couple on that show that a viewer can say this is the one. They are destined to be together. It has no teen scene. Billy needs to win one and it’s time for the aging starlets to settle down and act there age.
Please please let the new writers research the history of Y&R so they can continue what we already know about the characters!
They need this younger very talented duo so bad. PLEASE give Phyllis good storyline and please I beg of you get rid of this SATAN AWFUL MATT CLARK MESS. Phyllis deserves a hunk of a man like Nick and Noah of the past! But little Cane and seemingly mentally stunted deer in the headlights Matt have gotta go NOW.
Yes! Such talented actors with such sad story lines. Welcome new writers!
It’s been over two-years since his last appearance on General Hospital, now fan favorite Kin Shriner (Scott Baldwin) has taken to social media to share his thoughts on the casting of his grown-up TV daughter, Serena Baldwin now played by Kelly Kruger.
Kelly took over the role of Serena on-screen starting with the July 30, 2026 episode and has been ensconced in the storyline with her mother, Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring), in trying to win back full creative control of Deception for her.
In fact on the Monday, October 19 episode of the ABC soap opera, Serena tried to dupe Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) into signing over Michael’s (Rory Gibson) shares of the company. Jason caught on and wondered why she was doing this. She claimed she just wanted to help her mom gain creative control from Tracy (Jane Elliot) rather than full ownership, and begged Jason to keep quiet about it, which he agreed to for now.
Courtesy/ABC
WHERE IS SCOTT?
On Monday, Shriner also took to X and said, “I think Kelly Kruger is doing a great job on General Hospital, and she and Lynn Herring work well together.” That was followed by comments in his thread about the show needing to bring back Scott too.
In fact, back on August 25, Shriner also took to X with a reminder that Scott is still around and ready to come back to Port Charles, sharing, “Scotty Baldwin always fits in he just needs the right sport coat !!!!”
The last time Serena mentioned her father Scott was when Kruger made her debut and informed Lucy that her father was, “living his best life in Key West.” Meanwhile, Shriner posts on his X account continually and shared back on August 2, that it has been 49 years since he made his on-screen debut as then teenaged, Scotty Baldwin and thanked the fans for al the love and support.
So, now let us know, are you enjoying Kelly Kruger as Serena Baldwin? Do you want to see GH bring back Scott Baldwin into the story, so Serena has both her parents in Port Charles? Do you like the potential of Jason and Serena pairing? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ and Daytime Emmy Nominee Mike Manning to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
While Bradley “Smitty: Smith finds himself currently in a whole heap of trouble on Beyond the Gates, his portrayer Mike Manning is getting set for the upcoming 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards where he finds himself nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
A previous two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Manning will visit You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel for a livestream chat on Wednesday, October 21 beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
This year, Beyond the Gates broke records becoming a 15-time Daytime Emmy nominated seres, a first in Daytime Emmy history for a new show entering the competition for the first time. Manning will discuss being part of the groundbreaking soap.
Photo: CBS
MIKE MANNING’S UPCOMING PROJECTS
While Manning has his series regular role on Beyond the Gates he is also involved in a myriad of other projects including: his role opposite Nicolas Cage in the film, Madden and the upcoming Anthony Hopkins starring motion picture, Eyes in the Tree, which Manning is featured and also produced.
LGBTQ+ ADVOCACY
Mike first gained nation attention back on MTV’s The Real World D.C., now almost 17 years ago, when he came out on the reality series, which served as an example of early LGBTQ+ representation, leading to thousands of letters from viewers who felt connected to, or felt represented by his journey. Through his advocacy, Manning has served as a youth ambassador for Boo2Bullying and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, anti-bullying, and environmental protection.
Daytime fans first met Manning as uber-bad guy Charlie Dale on Days of our Lives (2020-2o22) and later for his Emmy-winning role as Caleb McKinnon on The Bay.
This week on all-new episodes of Beyond the Gates, viewers will see the pick-up after Smitty has been framed for the murder of Dr. Lia Whitmore, after being in possession of incriminating pills linked to her death, that were seemingly planted at his home.
If you have a question for Mike, but cannot be with us in the live chat, drop it in the comment section below and we just might ask it on the broadcast.
So, how do you think Smitty will get out of the charges against him? Rooting for Mike at the Daytime Emmys? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
News
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Opens About Breaking ‘Passions’ Contract, Claiming the Soap Had a ‘Militant Vibe’
Soap operas aren’t for everyone and you can add motion picture and television star Mary Elizabeth Winstead to the list. It was back in 1999 that a 14-year-0ld Winstead joined the cast of the upstart NBC soap opera in the role of Jessica Bennett.
Now in a new conversation on Off Camera with Sam Jones, Winstead talked about the early years of her career in Hollywood, which was topped off by her decision to get out of her contract with Passions after just a year.
Opening up about her experience on the set of Passions, Winstead shared, she didn’t particularly enjoy it. Having worked on other sets before landing the role of Jessica, Winstead said that compartively, “I kind of knew this wasn’t what everything was like.”
Photo: NBC
DISGRUNTLED OVER SOAP OPERA’S TOXIC ENVIRONMENT
However, Mary Elizabeth then went on to explain the set of Passions has a real “militant vibe” and “it was friendly and it wasn’t encouraging or warm.” She cites an example of how her mother wasn’t allowed on set and and was forced by the producers to spend her day in Mary Elizabeth’s dressing room.
Winstead added, “There were times where she (her mother) would kind of try and quietly be there (on set), and they would be like, ‘We’ll just pretend we didn’t see you around here.”‘All of this, and her unhappiness, led Winstead to break her contract.
For those who need a Passions refresher course, the character of Jessica Bennett ,who was later played by Jade Harlow and Danica Stewart, was initially a quiet introverted teen. Eventually, Jessica went through a major downward spiral that included substance abuse, being forced into prostitution by Spike Lester (whom she briefly married), a fake death and burial, and rehab!
MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD’S CAREER
As for Winstead, she most recently appeared in the Hulu remake of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, A Gentleman in Moscow, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Smashed (for which she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination), 10 Cloverfield Lane and FX’s Fargo.
Meanwhile on the home front, Winstead is married to motion picture and television star Ewan McGregor. The couple tied the knot in 2022 after meeting on the set of FX’s series Fargo in 2016.
You can check out Mary Elizabeth Winstead talking about her experience on Passions on the Off Camera Show below.
What do you think of Winstead’s feelings on the environment on the set of Passions? If you watch the clip below, do you think host Sam Jones talked down about soap operas as well? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Kin Shriner Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ TV Daughter Kelly Kruger
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Finn Blows a Gasket After Steffy Reveals She’s Gone Ahead and Become Carter and Daphne’s Surrogate
‘Beyond the Gates’ and Daytime Emmy Nominee Mike Manning to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Opens About Breaking ‘Passions’ Contract, Claiming the Soap Had a ‘Militant Vibe’
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Jason Seeks Answers For Sonny, Drew Gloats, and Chase is in for a Battle
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Delon de Metz Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
‘Beyond the Gates’ Stars Lami and RhonniRose Mantilla Cover Raye’s ‘Nightingale Lane’ in New Music Video
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Stands Up to Brooke, ‘I Have Spent My Entire Life Sacrificing My Happiness for Yours. But No More!’
Parry Shen and Lydia Look Make a Return to ‘General Hospital’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: Finn May Learn Unsettling News, Zende Makes His Decision, Katie’s Bitter Battle Escalates
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Finn Blows a Gasket After Steffy Reveals She’s Gone Ahead and Become Carter and Daphne’s Surrogate
‘Beyond the Gates’ and Daytime Emmy Nominee Mike Manning to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Opens About Breaking ‘Passions’ Contract, Claiming the Soap Had a ‘Militant Vibe’
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Jason Seeks Answers For Sonny, Drew Gloats, and Chase is in for a Battle
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