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Y&R's Michelle Stafford chats, "I think the "Phickers" will be very excited"!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: JPI Studios

Photo Credit: JPI Studios

Late last week, On-Air On-Soaps attended the 38th anniversary on set celebration of The Young and the Restless on the series soundstage at CBS.  Many of your Genoa City favorites were in attendance.  We caught up with Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) to find out her thoughts on her time with the series, a preview of what’s next for Phyllis. and if there is hope for “Phick” fans.  Plus, what the talented two-time Daytime Emmy winner submitted for contention for a nomination for this year’s race.  Here is our ” quickie’ conversation with Michelle!

Do you like what Phyllis has been up to on-air lately? Will viewers get to see her drive her own story soon?

MICHELLE: I think what she is going to start doing soon will be very fun, and I am very excited about it.  I am an honest girl, there are ebbs and flows. You are on a show for thirteen years and you do a big storyline, and then you sort of pull back to prepare for other things. So, being on a soap there are definitely ebbs and flows all the time.

Joshua Morrow (Nick) told On-Air On-Soaps in a recent interview there was hope for “Phick” fans. What would you say to that?

MICHELLE: Oh yes, there is a lot of hope for them. And, I think the “Phickers” will be very excited middle to late April.  Phyllis and Nick are a good coupling. You think of them being together, so that is good storytelling on the writer’s part.

Of your thirteen years on Y&R, what has been your favorite storyline?

MICHELLE: The affair with Nick was awesome, which is the only affair Phyllis has had, really.  When you look at these two characters on paper you would think no way would they be together, so that was really great.  I loved the Tim Reid material, her shrink! That was so much fun to play.

You are pre-nominated in the Lead Actress category for the Daytime Emmys. What episode or reel did you go with to submit for the final round of voting?

MICHELLE: I submitted the episode where Phyllis kicks Nick to the curb! I had two montages in there that slowed it down, but it is what it is.

What is one observation you have, when you look at the entire cast gathered here today for the series 38th anniversary celebration?

MICHELLE: Everyone on this show is very pretty.  I have to tell you a funny story. People will set me up on dates, and I will say, “What does he look like?” And, they will say, “Oh he’s gorgeous.” Then, I will see a picture and go, “Oh” and that is because, look at this cast we look at every day! It’s warped my judgment of the male human race. (Laughs)

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NO to Phick! Omg I swear if they re-re-re-re commit again I will turn the channel!

I don’t like or never did like Phick. I still don’t.

I love Phack!!! they are awesome together.

Thank you so much for the interview. I love Phick! Michelle and Joshua are amazing!

Phyllis and Nick are my all time favorite couple. Thank you for the interview.

YUCK! I can NOT stomach another pairing of this ICKY duo! I will NOT watch a redo of PUKE part 2!

Ashley you said it perfectly! A phick reunion will be the final straw for me watching Y&R. I will officially be done.

Later, kids! I can’t wait for a re-pair! Jack and Phyllis are such a bore. Give me hot sex over chemistry any day!

We will miss you. 🙂

Unfortunately for “phickers”, that couple will never last because Nick will always want Sharon when he is with Phyllis 🙂 Shick = true love. Phick = just sex.

i love nick and phyllis a lot i can wait tell they come back togther with their daugter and family they are the best couple on the show ever can see i it is better than nick and diane

go Phick you rule

OMG this is the most exciting of news, I cannot wait to see them once again grace my screen, how I have missed this coupling, first Josh and now Michelle has given this fan hope. I will once again become glued to my set. Phick fan signing in and up

Am I dreaming? I have been longing and waiting for them to come back to us and it looks like there is a definite start coming.

This show is about to explode from all that Phick chemistry being released again.

Great interview

YES!!!!!!!! I am an ABSOLUTELY GENUINE PHICK fan!!!!!!!! Never a Phyllis or Nick fan in the past until they were paired up!!!!!!! Give me my Josh – Michelle MAGIC, I can’t say anything to describe what I am feeling right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO MICHELLE, GO JOSH, GO PHICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BLOW UP THE SCREEN!!!!! STEAM UP THE SHOW!!!!!!!!! After all, you are the best thing that happened to it!!!!!

Personally I’m one of those “Phickers” who is thrilled to hear that Phick may not be over! They are the ONLY reason I watch Y&R & the day they broke Phick up is the day I stopped watching the show. I look forward to Michelle & Joshua bringing their one of a kind chemistry back to Y&R. It’s definitely needed!

Thank you Michelle!!

Ewwww NO MORE PHICK!!!! They are disgusting together!

I want to see a re-pairing of PHICK only because I want to see Phyllis pulverize the new Diane. It’s been too long coming, and once Stafford’s Phyllis realizes that Nick has Diane-Skank on him she’s going to freakin’ lose it on her!

Yes I’m Soooooooo Excited love Phick !!!!!!!

No to Phick it was awful to watch for years!

I might take a hiatus of some sort, same old same old is not working for me!

Phick was the hottest couple in daytime ever! YES! YES ! YES! to nick and phyllis burning up the screen again! I stopped watching because of their breakup but hopefully the writers will fix that mistake. PHICK 4 EVER.

Yea!! I love Phick!! Such a terrific couple! Can’t wait!

GROSS!!!! phICK is the most nasty couple in daytime history. SHICK is the best!!

Dear Michael,
As usual another great interview. After Joshua’s interview I remember asking you to go get one from Michelle and so you did!! So thank you very much. And as usual Michelle NEVER EVER DISAPPOINTS. She is such a great lady who obviously loves Y&R very much and especially her FANS.

This is what Y&R needs right now some major BUZZ that only Phick do so well more than any other couple on the show. And the irony is they weren’t even supposed to be long-term and here we are 6 years later and they are still going strong and still have that buzz about them. Already your own board has been lit up with responses and so have others apparently. It does not matter whether people love Phick, like Phick, hate Phick, or dislike Phick..the simple and indisputable fact is that whenever Joshua or Michelle mention the slightest positive thing about Phick or talk about Phick in general, soap cyberspace goes crazy. Some people get excited or happy and some pull out their claws LOL. I LOVE IT!! Either way if I were Maria Bell, CBS & Sony I would pay attention because the soap genre really needs something to keep it alive. They can’t always live on the “we used to do it like this in the past”, they need to mix it up old & new.

And for Y&R nothing gets more buzzworthy than just the mere mention of Phick LOL!! And heavens know, this show needs some oxygen..I can’t believe I am watching CNN in the daytime vs. Y&R when all I want to do for an hour of the day is escape from reality.

Very well said… on all accounts! You rock!

Summed it up perfectly..I love reading your responses and takes. Phick fan now and always

Phick was great. They destroyed them. Phyllis deserves a real man. Not JerkNick!!!

Love, love, LOVE Phick and Michelle Stafford. Can’t wait to see what April has in store for the best couple on daytime. Its about time Phick finds their way back to one another.
Thanks for the great interview!

Great gobs of gag-me! Phick sucked then and they suck now. It is gross to see an elderly woman like MS with a baby-faced wuss like JM. The affair between Nick and Phyllis destroyed this show. It has never been the same. It was all about porn and nothing about love. Nick and Sharon had depth and were all about the sort of overall love and tenderness that made y and r the great show it was. Frankly I wish you would stop interviewing MS and trying to encourage a regrouping of a couple that was the worst pairing ever on this show. In an interview AFTER this one, JM said that there is no more Phick…that he has turned a page on that relationship. So I wish that MS and JM would get their stories straight.

Wow. You’re mean.

OK… I have to ask.. are you completely forgetting Sharon’s deeds while Nick was with Phyllis? Your 2.0 version of Cricket “the Paragon of Virtue” was out shoplifting and sleeping with any man who would have her! Don’t got hating….. just sayin!

Phyllis isn’t old by any means, but when paired with Nick the age difference does show.

How dare you be so CRUEL! You must be a miserable person. Instead of spending your time watching this show you need to spend it on a couch. MS is a REAL person with REAL feeling … what is wrong with you?

Shick is the gross couple ewwwwww! Sharon has slept with his brother and tried to bang his daddy so revolting. Whooooohooooooooo!!!!! to phick the only woman who has never betrayed him is phyllis and they have crazy chemistry can’t wait for this!.

Oh and one more thing…I have to snicker at the way MS wants to be with JM. Laugh at the notion that she thought the affair with Nick was ‘awesome.’ In more than one interview she ‘pretended’ to realize that breaking up a marriage is hardly awesome. And here she is spewing out her genuine feelnigs. Hooray! Lets break up another marriage!

You take things wayyy too seriously. It’s a TV show, honey.

This is a TV show, and maybe Michelle realized that she did enjoy the coupling, maybe it took her years to admit it, I am not sure why a realization about the fun she had acting with her acting partner is something to snicker about. And Nick or Phyllis is not married to anyone, they are both free.

I am not even going to go into a back and forth, what I am happy to see is that my two fave actors from my fave show, loves my fave reel couple.

YESssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Can’t wait

I liked your short interview with Michelle. I don’t know if I want to see her with Nick, though. I think she needs a new man on the scene now. The show is getting a bit stale for me now. They need a really good shake-up. I wish her luck on the Emmy’s, but don’t think she is deserving of it. We shall see….

Finally some hope for phick fans! 🙂 It’s long overdue. This was such a fantastic interview. I love MS. And I love what phick did for Y&R. Before phick I would only watch Y&R causally. But when phick started it really breathed some new life into the show and I just could not miss an episode. Shick was so over and done by then. Phick came in at the right time to make everyone take notice. I hope it can do that again real soon. Y&R is not the same without phick together.

I love Nick & Phyllis they need to be together because they are best couple in daytime history and I want to watch them on t.v.

Go phick forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you Michelle

Good Lord! I’m so sick of all the Phick pimping, because truth be told I think they were THE WORST coupling in Y&R history. I’m sick to my stomach to think that Phick will reunite after only 1 year, while the fans of one of the best couples in Y&R history, Shick, created by the master himself, Bill Bell, will be teased and jerked around even longer. Wow. I guess I really have ZERO reason to tune back in to watching. Nick and Phyllis should NEVER reunite. They are contrived and just not believable in any shape or form. They literally make me ill.

Go lie down you’ll be okay … lol!

I agree Karlie!!! Phick is NASTY! They’ll never last because Sharon and Nick are soulmates. Shick fans have been waiting for years and yet its phick that gets questioned all the time. Who cares about phick – WHAT ABOUT SHICK?

I am so excited that we will be getting some Phick soon. Breaking them up and making Nick pin after Sharon, a woman he wasn’t even all that gaga about during the last years of their marriage was ludicrous. Nick and Phyllis are phenomenal together and sizzle up the screen together, there’s a reason TV Guide named them the most popular couple in Y&R history and why they were voted the best supercouple on the Y&R 35th anniversary site despite the fact that were going head to head with Y&R’s royalty supercouple, Victor and Nikki. It’s t9ime they were reunited and given a storyline about them and not saving Sharon, who actually sizzles with Adam surprisingly enough. Let’s get back to the heat, intrigue, fun-loving, steamy Phick that so many viewers fell in love with and stop wasting the palpable chemistry between Michelle Stafford and Joshua Morrow but pairing them with others that only produce lukewarm results. With Billy and Victoria going strong, Sharon and Adam’s wrong but right romance, and the probability of Nick and Phyllis reuniting, I just may have reason to actual tune in to the whole show again.

Nick and phyllis move faster then marcus allen.

Days Of Our Lives

‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast

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After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.

Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.

The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.

Photo: NBC

There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.

The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.

In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.

Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.

Photo: NBC

Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”

As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”

The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.

So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark

Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”

In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.

It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.

Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.

You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.

So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.

As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.

Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC

Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.

BROTHERLY LOVE?

Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”

With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”

BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE

Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”

So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.

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