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‘The Young and the Restless’ Names New Co-Head Writers: Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor

By Michael Fairman

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Jamey Giddens, Dan O'Connor
Photos: CBS, IG, JPI

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.

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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!

Days Of Our Lives

REPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract

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Days of our Lives cast

Four cast members are officially on contract at Days of our Lives, according to the soap opera’s closing credits on Peacock and longtime Days expert and historian Jason 47.

Lauren Koslow (Kate), Sydney Malakeh (Sydney), Sal Stowers (Lani) and Jacob Martinez (Javi) are the names that appear in the closing credits in the contracted cast members section. Days of our Lives fans also note that the series tapes ten months in advance of streaming episodes.

As Days of our Lives fans know, Lauren Koslow has played Kate Roberts since 1996, and recently filled-in for Jess Walton in the role of Jill Abbott on The Young and the Restless when Walton was unable to travel from Oregon to Los Angeles during the specific tape dates. But now, Koslow has been re-upped to contract status as of the September 8 episode.

Photo: JPI

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

Sydney Malakeh is the newest member of the contract players when she debuted on contract status on the September 10th episode. Days fans first met Sami (Alison Sweeney) and EJ’s (Dan Feuerriegel) daughter in scenes in Monte Carlo around a gambling table.

As for Sal Stowers, the actress had been on contract from 2015-2022, then on recurring status with the soap, and would make appearances and limited runs since 2023. Soap fans first saw Sal as Cassandra Foster on Prospect Park’s revival of All My Children in 2013. Sal’s first new contracted episode was noted to be September 16.

Jacob Martinez, debuted on June 30 of this year as the successor to Al Calderon in the role of Javi Hernandez, and has now been bumped up to series regular as of the September 10 episode.

Photo: JPI

CREDITS

According to the referenced posting from Days of our Lives expert and historian Jason 47, he shared, “It took me four weeks to realize, but the same week that Sydney Malakeh (Sydney) debuted (9/7-9/11), “Days” also put Lauren Koslow (Kate), Jacob Richard Martinez (Javi) and Sal Stowers (Lani) on contract.”

Jason47 added, “This confirms the “errors” of Lani being listed in the credits the week of 9/7 but not appearing, and Kate and Javi appearing in the credits the week of 9/14 but not appearing. It also now makes sense why Javi and Sydney are being listed before Rafe and Philip in the credits.”

He also shared, “For the record, Lauren Koslow’s first date back on contract was 9/8, Jacob Richard Martinez was upped to contract on 9/10, Sydney Malakeh debuted on contract 9/10 and Sal Stowers’ first date back on contract was 9/16. The records will be fixed on the website in the coming days.”

So, glad to hear Lauren, Sydney, Sal and Jacob appear to be on contract with Days of our Lives (as of these episode airings)? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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News

‘Neighbours’ Storylines Featuring Margot Robbie to be Launched as Microdramas by Roseberry for Epis Platform

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Margot Robbie, Neighbourrs

The ever-popular Australian soap, Neighbours is now reimagined as a premium vertical series via a partnership between its production company Fremantle and the vertical TV platform Roseberry.

In fact, the soap is being cut into short-form vertical video by RoseBerry Media for its “Epis” platform and it will kick-off with episodes from one of its biggest alumni, motion picture star, Margot Robbie.

Robbie starred as Donna Freedman from 2008 to 2011 and there will be two storylines of Donna made into vertical episodes that will total 150 minutes of content which is standard vertical drama fare these days.

Margot Robbie, Sam Clark

Photo: Neighbours

TRANSFORMING NEIGHBOURS WITH NOTABLE ALUMS

The project will transform storylines from the Neighbours archive through RoseBerry’s proprietary AI-assisted production workflow RedSnapper, which can scan decades of episodes to map character arcs, storylines and standout moments.

Neighbours premiered in 1985 and ended in 2025, and aired roughly 9,363 episodes. Other well known alum include:  Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Jesse Spencer.

As Neighbours fans know, it was back in 2022 that the Australian soap opera lost its production partner after UK’s Channel 5 failed to reach a new agreement with Freemantle. Next, after its fan favorite alumni returned for the series finale, Amazon came in and revived the show with the series’ 40th and final season airing on Prime Video in 2025.

Photo: Freemantle

NEIGHBOURS LIBRARY OF STORYLINES TO BE CONVERTED INTO MICRODRAMAS

Guy Hameiri, co-founder and CEO of RoseBerry Media, said in a statement: ’Neighbours’ is an iconic piece of television history and exactly the kind of premium entertainment IP we believe can thrive in the vertical format, This is the first time we’ve had the opportunity to apply RedSnapper to a long-running soap with such a rich library of characters, storylines and cultural moments, and Fremantle has been a fantastic partner in helping bring that vision to life.”

Jens Richter, Fremantle commercial and international CEO, shared on the new partnership and new way to utilize the series archive: “Working with RoseBerry allows us to explore an incredible archive in an entirely new way, bringing much-loved IP to new audiences while demonstrating how established television libraries can continue to evolve, find new relevance and, importantly, create new commercial opportunities. It’s an exciting example of how technology and creative thinking can unlock new value from our diverse catalogue and content library.”

SHOULD U.S. SOAPS UTILIZE THEIR CLASSIC STORYLINES AND MAKE THEM  VERTICALS?

As microdramas continue to roll out, the vertical drama industry has been tasked with some companies using AI-generated characters instead of actors, taking jobs away from many in Hollywood, while others continue to build new vertical stars, loved by their passionate fan bases.

With the potential of Neighbours becoming scrolling-sized for your phone, might this become a way for the U.S. broadcast soaps to also repurpose their previous popular storylines through the years instead of just leaving them on the shelves, when soap fans crave seeing some of the classic storylines of the past? Food for thought.

So, what do you think of Neighbours’ storylines from their 4 decades being made into microdrama-sized vertical episodes, the first featuring Margot Robbie? Would you like to see shows like DAYS, Y&R, B&B and GH, with such deep history, utilize a microdrama app to serve up past storylines and archival footage, so fans could see them again in a new format? Share your thoughts via the comment section.

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AEW

More Details Emerge on AEW Star Pac’s (Benjamin Satterley) Sudden Death at 40, Just One Day After Final Match

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Pac

The last 24 hours have been a devastating one for professional wrestling; following the news of the sudden death AEW star Pac, real name Benjamin Satterley at just 40-years-old. Satterley had also wrestled earlier in his career as “Neville” in WWE where he has won the NXT Championship and became a two-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

On Saturday night, September 26, Pac opened the match card at AEW All Out Chicago at the NOW Arena that was broadcast on pay-per-view. Pac’s opponent was Andrade El Idolo and in the match he was challenging for the AEW National Championship. He would return to the ring later in the evening in the main event interfering with his fellow Death Riders faction in the Jon Moxley vs. Will Ospreay AEW World Title bout.

The next thing that happened shocked everyone when on Sunday night, September 27 the AEW social media announced Pac’s death. The entire wrestling community poured their hearts out with tributes for the fallen star from Newcastle, England who leaves behind his beloved wife.

Pac

Photo: AEW

PAC FOUND UNRESPONSIVE IN HIS CAR IN PARKING LOT OUTSIDE RESTAURANT

On Monday, September 28 new details emerged as to the mystery surrounding how Pac had died. Reports indicated that at around 4 pm on Sunday CT, Pac was found unresponsive inside a car outside a restaurant in a CAVA parking lot in Des Plaines, Illinois, shortly before he was pronounced dead.

The dispatch audio obtained by the California Post, shared, “This is going to be a slumper. We can’t confirm breathing at this time.” A witness spotted PAC passed out inside the vehicle and called 911  with others searching the restaurant for medical equipment before paramedics arrived.  The witness added, “There was an ambulance, police and a fire truck, all outside.

NO FOULD PLAY CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED IN MANNER OF PAC’S DEATH

A rep for the Des Plaines Police Department told the New York Post there are currently, no indications of foul play and the circumstances surrounding the death are not considered suspicious.”

Pac signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2019 and held multiple AEW Championships.  On Monday, AEW announced that on their Wednesday, September 30 episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT, that they will honor the late wrestling star.

On Instagram, AEW shared, #AEWDynamite – “This Wednesday, September 30 at 8e/7c on TBS & HBO Max This Wednesday, All Elite Wrestling will honor the life, career and legacy of one of the greatest people we’ve ever known, PAC. Join us for A Tribute to PAC, this Wednesday Night!

Share your thoughts on the sudden passing of AEW’s Pac via the comment section below.

 

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