The one and only Erika Slezak, whose classic and moving portrayal of Victoria Lord on One Life to Live captured all of our hearts for decades and who thrilled us with her guest stint on General Hospital in 2025 as Ronnie Bard is about to turn 80-years-old on August 5.

To help celebrate and to make this birthday extra special for the six-time Daytime Emmy-winning icon and her fans, Walter Miller, Erika’s fan club president and website administrator, has revealed that you now have a chance to wish Erika happy birthday or a share a special memory of her from her time on One Life to Live, General Hospital or you’re own personal experience.

All of the messages will be compiled and shared with Erika. The first collection of messages will be presented to her on August 5, but Walter notes that he is accepting submissions through August 14 and will include those in a later collection to pass on to Erika.

Photo: ABC

AUGUST IS SPECIAL MONTH FOR ERIKA SLEZAK

Not only is August a special month with Erika’s birthday, but Erika and her longtime husband, Brian Davies will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary on August 4.

To send your birthday greeting and message to Erika, click here For more on Erika make sure to check out her official website erikaslezak.com

It was back in 1971 that soap opera fans first saw Erika in the role of Viki, when she took over the part from Gillian Spencer. Through so many storylines, marriages and of course, Viki’s battle with DID (Dissociative Identify Disorder), Erika got to portray an array of emotions and characters until One Life went off the air in 2012. She then appeared in the Prospect Park revival of the series in 2013.

While Erika continued making guest appearances in primetime in episodics such as The Resident and Blue Bloods, she returned last year to ABC daytime as the sister of the late Monica Quartermaine (the late Leslie Charleson). The door was left open for the character of Ronnie to return one day.

So, make sure to send your birthday greetings to Erika through the link above and tell us below your messages honoring Erika on her upcoming 80th birthday via the comment section.

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.

The Young and the Restless star Billy Flynn (Cane Ashby) and his wife, actress Gina Comparetto have been keeping a little secret for a few months that as revealed on Tuesday, July 28 on Gina’s Instagram account.

Billy and Gina became proud parents for the third time when they shared they welcomed a baby girl to their growing family for the first time. The little bundle of joy was actually born in May.

In an adorable photo on her Instagram, Billy and Gina are sitting up in a bed with their two young sons and their baby girl. Gina captioned the image, “She arrived in May and now our family is perfectly complete.”

Photo: JPI

Flynn began his soap career as Chad DiMera on Days of our Lives a role he began playing back in 2014. After over ten years with the series, he moved over to The Young and the Restless, where he debuted as the revamped Cane Ashby in June of 2025.

Flynn’s former Days of Our Lives castmates jumped into the comment thread including: “My heart is so happy for ya’ll,” from Cherie Jimenez (Gabi), Galen Gering (Rafe), who shared, “Amazing! Congrats Fam! Can’t wait to meet her!” Rob Scott Wilson (Alex) who added heart emojis, as well as The Young and the Restless star Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), who said, “Perfection.”

As for Billy and Gina, they tied on October 1, 2016, and then had two boys: one in 2022 and 2023. Now with the birth of their baby girl, it is wonderful moment for the duo. As previously reported Billy and Gina have decided to keep the first names of their children private.

Share your congrats for Billy and Gina on the birth of their baby girl via the comment section and check out the adorable photo below.

 

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