Tuc Watkins (ex-David Vickers, One Life to Live) continues to be booking role after role, and now comes word that the Llanview soap alum has joined the cast of Escorted, the upcoming comedy series from and starring Ted Lasso and Shrinking star, Brett Goldstein.

According to Deadline, Tuc has signed on for the production of the series, where he will play the role of Neil, who looks like a cowboy. However, here’s the catch! Neil is a trainer at a high-end gym and a male escort to wealthy woman on the side. Shades of Llanview’s David Vickers, for sure!

In the premise of Escorted, a divorced Manhattan dad, played by Goldstein, accidentally becomes a male escort in a romantic comedy about sexual dynamics, keeping secrets, and whether real intimacy can ever be bought.

Photo: JPI

Prime Video ordered the eight-episode, half-hour single-camera romantic comedy from Brett Goldstein last November. Goldstein will star, executive, produce, write, and co-showrun. In a statement, Brett expressed, “I’m so excited to bring a wholesome show about condoms, co-parenting, and cosplay to Amazon.”

As for Watkins, he is currently recurring on Hulu’s Paradise and appeared in the second season of ABC’s Shifting Gears. His other TV credits include: HBO Max’s The Other Two, Showtime’s Black Monday, and series regular roles on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, Showtime’s Beggars and Choosers, and more.

In addition, Tuc has a recurring role in Shemar Moore’s upcoming S.W.A.T. Exiles for Starz which premieres on September 25. Watkins numerous film credits include: The Mummy, The Good Shepherd and Retake. Watkins recently wrapped the indie feature, Cowboy, and in 2025 starred in the feature Exile Interviews.

So, what do you think of Tuc’s new role as a male escort to wealthy woman in Escorted? Looking forward to seeing him S.W.A.T. Exiles? Let us know via the comment section below.

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 on One Life to Live, when she took over the part from Joanne Dorian who has replaced the original Viki, Gillian Spencer.  Through 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 playing 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.

Two-time Daytime Emmy winner, primetime Emmy winner, and two-time Tony Award winner, Judith Light was the very special guest on the Thursday, June 18 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Light was on-hand to promote her two current projects.: The AMC+ anthology series, The Terror: Devil in Silver where she plays Dorry and Disney+ and Marvel’s The Punisher: One Last Kill where she plays Joy.

During the discussion with Clarkson, who is a huge fans of Judith’s work dating back to her leading role as Angela Bowers on Who’s the Boss, Light recalled the transition from leaving her signature soap role of Karen Wolek on One Life to Live, to her first foray into the world of TV sitcoms.

Credit: COLUMBIA PICTURES TELEVISION

STAFF OF LIFE VS. YOU’RE THE BOSS

Judith explained, how she landed her role on Who’s the Boss, when in actuality, ABC had Light in consideration for three shows all at once and the one she picked to initially appear in was about soap opera writers!

“First of all, I had been this girl who came from the soap opera,” recalled Light. “I went in and I read for the producers, and I read one scene, and then they said, ‘Could you read another scene?’ And I said, ‘Yes, and can I read another scene and another scene?’ I ended up reading the whole script for them.”

Next, Judith added, “There were three shows I was up for at ABC and it was called ‘You’re the Boss” at the time and I didn’t pick that one. I picked another one, which was called Staff of Life.I picked it because I thought it was like a sign that I was supposed to do this because it was about a bunch of soap opera writers. So I thought, ‘I’ll pick, Staff of Life.'”

However, that was not to be! “This is where the universe comes in and says, ‘no, no, no, no, no.’  I had done an audition with Tony Danza and there was a wonderful director named Bill Persky, and we did the audition together. And he said, ‘That’s the chemistry’. He said, ‘That’s it. That’s where the show lives.”

Amazingly, Light shared, “I hadn’t picked that. I hadn’t put it in first place, but all the executives at ABC had seen the audition. They said, ‘No, we’re not putting her in Staff of Life. We’re putting her on You’re the Boss!”

Courtesy/NBCUniversaal

PRIDE MONTH AND JUDITH’S CONTINUED ADVOCACY

June is Pride Month and one of the LGBTQIA+ fiercest advocates for decades has been Judith Light. Clarkson asked Judith how she became so involved in the cause for equality for the community.

“I was losing my friends,” simply explained Light. “When you’re in the theater community and you start reading about this one you’ve lost, somebody you haven’t seen for a while, and then there’s another person that you’ve lost. Also the injustice of this, of the way the people in the LGBTQIA+ community were being treated. I thought that I could say something. I had done this movie, called The Ryan White Story.”

“Ryan White was this extraordinary young man, and he died of AIDS, and he was very connected with Elton John, and they were friends,” shared the actress. Ryan was being interviewed on the Phil Donahue Show, who was extraordinary and has since passed. Phil was interviewing Ryan and he said to Ryan, ‘Your community didn’t treat you well, and if somebody else in your community had HIV and AIDS, how would you have been?’ Ryan said, “I would be scared of it, but I wouldn’t have been cruel.”

You can check out the entire conversation between Judith and Kelly Clarkson below.

Now, let us know. Would you have like to see Judith in a TV comedy about soap opera writers? Did you love her as Angela Bowers on Who’s the Boss? What do you think of her continued and tireless advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community? Share your thoughts in the comment section.