Photo Credit: John Paschal/JPI

Soap Opera Network wishes “The Young and the Restless” star Christian Jules LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin) a very happy birthday as the three time Daytime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2005, 2007, 2009) turns 54 years-old today.

Joining the cast of “Y&R” all the way back in 1991, LeBlanc has enjoyed nearly two decades in Genoa City. Although he departed the role in 1993, LeBlanc returned to the CBS soap in 1997 and has remained there ever since. He brought his character from “Y&R” to “As The World Turns” for a couple of episodes in 2005.

LeBlanc appeared in episodes of “In The Heat of the Night,” “Diagnosis Murder,” and “Cheers.” Along with co-star Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor), the actor appeared in a 2009 episode of “Guiding Light” just as the series was coming to a close.

Note: Starting Saturday, September 1, 2012, Soap Opera Network will begin providing soap fans with a new database system that will house actor biographies, birthdays, and much more. Be on the look out.

Robert Voets/Nickelodean

Soap Opera Digest grants Daytime Confidential‘s Jamey Giddens his wish. On Wednesday, August 15, Giddens had posted a Wishful Casting report shortly after word broke that Kevin Schmidt was out as Noah Newman on CBS’” The Young and the Restless.” The writer figured that Nickelodeon’s “Hollywood Heights” actor Robert Adamson (Phil Sanders) would fit the role perfectly. Today the magazine reported on its Facebook page that Adamson is now heading to Genoa City!

According to Digest, Adamson begins taping at “Y&R” on Tuesday, September 4. His first airdate is scheduled for Monday, October 1.

Jill Farren Phelps and Josh Griffith, the newly installed executive producer and head writer, respectively, at “Y&R” also served in the same capacities at “Heights.”

No word on whether Adamson has been offered a contract. Schmidt had portrayed Noah while on recurring status.

Photo Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Florencia Lozano will once again be reprising her role of Téa Delgado on ABC’s “General Hospital,” only this time she’ll be popping up in Llanview.

Soap Opera Network has learned that while Lozano is back for an unknown number of episodes, the actress will once again appear on the drama series after an unexpected visitor pays her character a visit on the Friday, September 7 episode.

Lozano’s return is said to coincide with a major cliffhanger the soap has planned that will help entice viewers to tune in for the Monday, September 10 episode, which is when the soap kicks things off in its new timeslot – a slot that was previously held by “One Life to Live” up until it aired its final episode nearly nine months ago to the day.

“General Hospital” moves to 2:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT/CT beginning Monday, September 10, on ABC. The show will not experience a timeslot shift on SOAPnet.

Corday Productions/Sony Pictures Television

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Ratings Report for the Week of August 13-17, 2012

NOTE: Please do not copy and paste the entire ratings.  Thank you.

NOTE: DAYS #s compared to three weeks ago

Numbers are based on Live+Same Day ratings

(Compared to Last Week/Compared to Last Year)

Total Viewers
1. Y&R 4,311,000 (-3,000/+203,000)
2. B&B 3,071,000 (-97,000/+102,000)
3. DAYS 2,699,000 (+218,000/+203,000)
4. GH 2,463,000 (+147,000/-235,000)

Households
1. Y&R 3.2/10 (same/-.1)
2. B&B 2.3/7 (same/+.2)
3. DAYS 2.0/6 (+.2/+.2)
4. GH 1.8/5 (+.1/-.1)

Women 18-49 Viewers
1. Y&R 824,000 (+25,000/-60,000)
2. B&B 626,000 (+8,000/+83,000)
3. GH 591,000 (-8,000/-199,000)
4. DAYS 583,000 (+43,000/-84,000)

Women 18-49 Rating
1. Y&R 1.3/9 (+.1/same)
2. B&B 1.0/6 (same/+.2)
3. GH 0.9/6 (same/-.3)
3. DAYS 0.9/6 (+.1/-.1)

Women 18-34 Rating
1. DAYS 0.6 (+.1/same)
1. Y&R 0.6 (+.1/-.1)
1. GH 0.6 (same/-.1)
4. B&B 0.4 (same/same)

Men 18+ Viewers
1. Y&R 921,000 (+10,000/-2,000)
2. B&B 670,000 (-25,000/-2,000)
3. DAYS 584,000 (+55,000/+60,000)
4. GH 497,000 (+61,000/+49,000)

Day-To-Day Ratings – HH/Total Viewers

B&B
Monday: 2.5/3,307,000
Tuesday: 2.3/3,134,000
Wednesday: 2.3/3,030,000
Thursday: 2.0/2,862,000
Friday: 2.4/3,019,000

DAYS
Monday: 2.1/2,906,000
Tuesday: 2.0/2,676,000
Wednesday: 2.0/2,649,000
Thursday: 1.9/2,578,000
Friday: 1.9/2,686,000

GH
Monday: 1.7/2,375,000
Tuesday: 1.8/2,490,000
Wednesday: 1.8/2,485,000
Thursday: 1.8/2,577,000
Friday: 1.7/2,388,000

Y&R
Monday: 3.3/4,431,000
Tuesday: 3.1/4,144,000
Wednesday: 3.4/4,531,000
Thursday: 3.2/4,369,000
Friday: 3.1/4,081,000

For the SEASON September 19, 2011 through August 19, 2012

Households
1. Y&R 3.5
2. B&B 2.4
3. DAYS 2.0
4. GH 1.9

Women 18-49 Rating
1. Y&R 1.5
2. B&B 1.1
2. GH 1.1
4. DAYS 1.0

Ratings Archive

Photo Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Frank Valentini (Executive Producer, “General Hospital“) is promising that the Monday, August 27 episode of the drama series is “not to be missed” as the series has “been keeping a huge surprise under wraps.” The producer tweeted the message to his 12,000 followers earlier today.

From what we know about Monday’s episode Anna (Finola Hughes) learns the identify of a mystery patient, Jerry makes his demands clear to the people of Port Charles. Joe Jr. promises to protect Tracy and John questions Alexis about what she can remember about the night she was injected.

In possibly related news, Vanessa Marcil (ex-Brenda Barrett) just tweeted a picture to her followers that said “Got Brenda?” Also, “All My Children‘s” Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee Smythe) was the first one to respond to Valentini’s above mentioned tweet. The actress said “I’ll be watching!”

The things that make you go hmmm…

“General Hospital” moves to a new time period beginning Monday, September 10 (2:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT/CT). The network promises to thrill audiences in the days leading up to the timeslot switch with lives hanging in the balance and shocking revelations hitting Port Charles. Who survives and who thrives? You’ll just have to tune in to find out!

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

UPDATE, 2:54 PM ET: Sources tell Soap Opera Network that Kanan is currently only scheduled to appear for a couple of episodes.

PREVIOUS, 1:55 PM ET: Soap Opera Network can confirm that CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” is about to get a little more Sharpe, Deacon Sharpe that is.

While a first airdate has not been revealed, a “B&B” rep tells Soap Opera Network that fans can expect to see Sean Kanan, who portrays Deacon, back onscreen sometime in September.

In July, Kanan married long time girlfriend Michele Vega in Italy in front of what we’re told included family and a few close friends. ”They were married in Monte di Procida, Naples, Italy.  The ceremony and reception dinner took place at the hotel where they stayed called Al Chiar di Luna which is owned by good friends of Sean and Michele, The Mazzella Family,” Kanan’s rep told Soap Opera Network earlier this month.

Kanan returned to “B&B” earlier this year for the first time in seven years. The character had previously been seen on “The Young and the Restless” off-and-on since 2009.

Adam Rose/Investigation Discovery

Five years after being taken off contract and placed on recurring status, Jacklyn Zeman (ex-Bobbie Spencer, “General Hospital“) has opened up to Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue about the circumstances surrounding her unexpected departure from the ABC daytime drama series.

“It was like a grieving process when I left the show because it was such a part of my life for so many years. I mean, I played Bobbie for over 30 years, pretty much five days a week. So when Jill Phelps [former executive producer, now EP of 'Y&R'] decided to get rid of the character, I was one totally unprepared and two, totally shocked, because I just assumed that Bobbie would always be there. I had this commitment to the network and I felt that the commitment worked both ways,” reveals Zeman.

Read More >>

Photo Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

During tonight’s Paley Center LA event in Beverly Hills, CA, celebrating 10,000 episodes of “The Young and the Restless,” former head writer and executive producer, Maria Arena Bell, joined cast members Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott), Eric Braeden (Victor Abbott), Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor), Doug Davidson (Paul Williams), Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin), Joshua Morrow (Nicholas Newman), Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman), Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters), and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Newman) to talk about the shows legacy.

What’s significant about Bell’s appearance was that up until after her ouster made headlines on Thursday, July 26, the former EP/HW was said to no longer be attending, at least according to sources Soap Opera Network spoke with on Friday, July 27. The Paley Center also removed her name from their website for the event.

During tonight’s event, which was “live tweeted” by @PaleyCenter on Twitter, Bell was quoted as saying the following:

• “You have to be careful when introducing new characters. Fans want to see the people on this stage [referring to present company of actors tonight]. But it provides insight.”
• “The key is that these characters have stayed true to themselves. Both of Bill Bell’s shows have and dominated the ratings.”
• “Like every great soap story, I did get killed off. These people have been extraordinary and I thank them for this experience.”

“The Young and the Restless” celebrates its 10,000th episode on Thursday, September 27. The series held a cake cutting party at its CBS Television City studio yesterday in honor of its milestone.

Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

UPDATE, 9:43 PM ET: Should Burton ultimately depart “GH,” as rumored… Soap Opera Network is hearing rumblings of the actor heading to “The Young and the Restless” now that Jill Farren Phelps is EP’ing the CBS soap. Phelps had been the executive producer of “GH” from 2001-2011.

PREVIOUS, 8:48 PM ET: Daytime Confidential is reporting that ABC’s “General Hospital” and Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) may part ways as the show has been unable to broker a new deal with the actor.

“Steve and ABC have been negotiating for quite some time and it doesn’t look like he’s going to stay,” said a source to DC.

Should Burton depart “GH,” it would mark the end of a nearly two-decade long career at the drama series. First joining the cast in 1991, Burton left the series in 2000. He returned in 2002, and has remained at the show ever since. He also appeared on the “GH” spinoff, “General Hospital: Night Shift,” during the SOAPnet original series’ first season.

A representative for “General Hospital” was unavailable for comment at press time.

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

UPDATE, MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012 5:20 PM ET: Rumor no more, Ian Buchan has returned to ABC’s “General Hospital.”

PREVIOUS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012 7:20 PM ET: Rumor has it that Ian Buchanan, who just completed his run on NBC’s “Days of our Lives” yesterday as Ian McAllister, is heading back to ABC’s “General Hospital” after a 23-year absence. Buchanan was last seen in 1989 as Duke Lavery on the soap, but the character was killed off in 1990 while portrayed by actor Greg Beecroft.

When asked by a fan on twitter if he was returning, Buchanan said, “My tweets are sealed.”

A “General Hospital” spokesperson was unavailable for comment at press time.