The Young and the Restless seems to be toying with a potential romance between amnesiac Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford).  Now, on all-new episodes of the top-rated soap opera, the official Y&R Preview for the week of June 22-26, shows a moment where Matt attempts to ask Phyllis out on a date!

The two are sitting at the GCAC having drinks. Suddenly, Matt says. “Once upon a time, there was a man who had no memory. And he met a woman. And then he asks her out on a date.” Phyllis looks at first confused, but then inquisitive? Would Phyllis even dare go out with Matt given what he has done to the former love of her life and father to her daughter, Summer, the one and only Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow)?

If Y&R head writer, Josh Griffith does plan to go there, does Phyllis somehow fall in love with this guy, because she did see him come to the rescue of Nick when he OD’d? But, would Phyllis date Sharon’s (Sharon Case) rapist?

Photo: ABC

GENERAL HOSPITAL’S FRANCO AND NINA

This isn’t the first time that Daytime Emmy winners, Roger Howarth and Michelle Stafford have appeared on a soap as a romantic pairing? Look no further than then January of 2016  when both appeared on ABC’s General Hospital, when after months of dancing around their sexual tension, Franco Baldwin and Nina Reeves had sex.  The two characters had quite the unstable past which drew them together.

After the sex scene aired on GH, and the series moved the relationship between the duo (known on social media as #nico) forward, Michelle Stafford spoke to Michael Fairman TV where she shared on working with Howarth.

At that time, Stafford expressed, “What woman doesn’t want to see Roger Howarth on-screen?  He’s super sexy, and that is just that! (Laughs) With Roger, I am going to get a really great actor to work with, who likes to play, and really can act. I appreciate that about him. I am just really interested to see what the writers are ultimately going to do with these two characters.”

When addressing, why it took so long for Franco and Nina to hit the sheets, Stafford acknowledged, “You have to address it, because the audience is going to go, ‘Why are these two hot characters not ‘doing’ it’ These are two adults. It doesn’t make sense.  They are so in love, and they are not consummating anything.  So, when they made Nina so insecure about it, and being able to communicate to Franco how she felt, I thought, ‘OK, this works.’  She was scared, and that’s true. We are all scared when we sleep with someone we love for the first time.  There is not one person who does not feel that way.  I loved that about her.  The woman in the audience really responded to that. They loved that there was a character who was afraid to hop in bed.  It was refreshing to them, and that was the consensus.”

Y&R’s MATT AND PHYLLIS STAND A GHOST OF A CHANCE AT ROMANCE?

Take a look at the Y&R video preview for next week below.

Then weigh-in; do you want Matt and Phyllis to date and begin some semblance of a romantic relationship? Did you enjoy Roger Howarth and Michelle Stafford when they were paired as Franco and Nina on General Hospital? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

The tornado that ripped through Fairmont Crest and put the lives of the characters of Beyond the Gates and several from The Young and the Restless in jeopardy had viewers tuning-in for the week of June 8-12.

The highly-publicized crossover event kicked off on the Tuesday, June 9 episode of Beyond the Gates where six residents of Genoa City came to to visit the D.C./Maryland country club for a fundraiser for Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon), only no one expected a twister to tear into the proceedings, leading to several storylines intersecting as people were trapped with one another with Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) being the most severely injured and now requiring a liver transplant to survive.

According to the ratings report from CBS and Nielsen ratings and as supplied to Variety, Beyond the Gates brought in on average 1.8 million viewers throughout the wee. That is up 11% from its season-to-date numbers and it makes the crossover/tornado episodes its third most-watched week for the soap since Beyond the Gates premiered back on February 24, 2025.

Photo: CBS

A GENOA CITY TOUCHDOWN

With the strength of the story, its special effects and bringing over cast of the top-rated, The Young and the Restless which included: Eric Braeden (Victor Newman), Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott), Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott), Susan Walters (Diane Jenkins), Melissa Ordway (Abby Newman) and Bryton James (Devon Hamilton), the Thursday, June 11 episode was the week’s most-watched.

According to the numbers, the Wednesday June 10 episode brought in the most total viewers for the week with 1.87 million (up 17% week-to-week), followed closely by the Friday, June 12 episodes which had 1.84 million watching.

Photo: JPI

Over on The Young and the Restless, the week of June 8-12, also saw an increase based on the early return that week of Shemar Moore as Malcolm Winters wrapping up his leg of the story where viewers learned he had a son Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) with Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox), and survived his bone marrow transplant surgery thanks to Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn).

Y&R scored 3.11 million viewers for the week up 2% from its season average with the June 8 and June 9 episodes featuring Moore averaging 3.2 million viewers and up 9% year-over-year.

So, did you enjoy the tornado episodes of Beyond the Gates and seeing the residents of Genoa City crossover to Fairmont Crest? Share your thoughts via the comment section on the latest ratings for the two CBS daytime soaps.

Earlier this week, The Young and the Restless on-screen mother and son duo, of Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers) and Michael Graziadei (Daniel Romalotti) represented the CBS soap opera in Monaco, at the 65th annual Monte-Carlo TV Festival.

The Y&R stars participated at the fan fest event where they signed autograph and took photos, but also were in a whirlwind of media from around the globe during their press day.

The three-time Daytime Emmy-winning Stafford, shared on her Instagram a little BTS of her time at the TV festival alongside Graziadei expressing, “All day press day with the Grazzz ❤️❤️❤️”

Photo: JPI

In addition, Michelle took her two children, Natalia and Jameson to Monaco as well, so in her off time from doing press for the top-rated soap, she could share the experiencing of with them and she expressed, “Monaco… (and Eze) Crazy Beautiful.”

While at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, Michael and Michelle took some moments for a little photo shoot and you can check some of these out below!

Photo: JPI

One of the all-time greats of the soap opera genre, Michelle Stafford.

Photo: JPI

Michael Graziadei is just too cool for school!

You can check out more from Monaco below with Michelle and Michael.

Now let us know, do you think Phyllis and Daniel are one of the better on-screen mother/son duos of the soaps? What did you think of these pics? Let us know via the comment section.

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