Marina Chavez/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — As we previously reported, “One Life to Live” was forced to replace Brandon Buddy with Van Hughes in the role of Cole Thornhart just one day after Buddy reprised the role for an upcoming storyline with ex-girlfriend Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson). Now the actor has taken to Twitter to apologize to fans for the sudden turn of events.

In a series of tweets dated Thursday, November 10, Buddy explains, “Hi everyone! I wanted to say that I am so sorry that I was unable to make a return to ‘OLTL’ as I intended due to personal family issues. I cherish the time that I had on the show and always will. The fans mean more to me then words can express. I’m devastated about this! Again I am so sorry! Thank you all for your love and support! It really helps me in times like this. Thank you and God bless!”

Buddy’s journey back to the set of “One Life” began in early August when he posted another series of tweets begging fans to help him get back on the show. “I want/need everyone to send in your love for cole! I’m tired of sitting around. Get me back on the the show so I can finish what I started. I love my fans/friends let’s go!!! No more f**ging around!!!!!!!!! Ok!!! Let me think! I hope I don’t get in trouble for this! …..standby! : ),” said the actor at the time.

Although both Buddy and the show are keeping mum on the specific reason as to the need for an emergency recast, Texas public court records from Travis County indicate that an individual with the full name Brandon Robert Buddy, which is the actors full name, along with matching birthday (verified by Soap Opera Network via district clerk), is scheduled to appear before a judge next month on charges of “INJURY CHILD/ELDERLY/DISABLE W/INT SBI/MENTAL,” or allegedly causing harm to a Child/Elderly/Disabled person with the intention to cause serious bodily injury or mental injury.

Buddy was reportedly involved in a traffic accident early last month. On October 8, he tweeted “So check this out! I was headed to Dallas for the Texas OU game yesterday and someone rear ended me going over 60 mph totaling my car. I had to climb out of the window to get out of the car! Craziness!”

While there is no reason to presume that Buddy’s personal family matter is in anyway tied to these reported legal issues, Soap Opera Network wishes Buddy nothing but the best as he works to get things back on track.

Meanwhile, “OLTL” is moving forward with Van Hughes in the role. The Broadway vet, who reshot all of Buddy’s scenes, taped for the first time with Alderson last Tuesday. In fact, she tweeted on Friday (November 11) that “Nic [Robuck],Van, & I have been working extremely hard for the #Jarr & #Sole fans! Having a lot of fun, can’t wait until you guys see what happens!”

Donna Svennevik/ABC / GSARTS.NET

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — “One Life to Live” is forced to recast the character of Cole Thornhart, who is serving a prison sentence for murdering Eli Clarke (Matt Walton) with Broadway star Van Hughes only one day after Brandon Buddy returned to the role.

According to reports, Buddy became unable to continue with the show after taping only one episode, leaving the show’s producers in limbo as they scrambled to find a replacement, claiming it was too late to rewrite the scenes, since the show wraps production on its ABC run next Friday.

“OLTL” is said to have re-shot all of Buddy’s scenes with Van Hughes, who first taped with Kristen Alderson, who plays Cole’s ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Starr Manning, on Tuesday of this week. No word on the number of episodes the actor will appear in.

This is not Van Hughes’ first time in Llanview. In September 2010, he briefly appeared as preppy art student Simon Ulrich in scenes with Gigi Morasco (Farah Fath) and Cristian Vega (David Fumero). He also had a recurring role on “As the World Turns” as Gil Penn from 2006-07. His first airdate is unknown.

Prism Awards

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — When the 15th annual Prism Awards are handed out later this month in Los Angeles, two of daytime’s leading drama series will be honored for recent storylines involving drug abuse and lung cancer. Both “One Life to Live” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” will be recognized at this year’s ceremony for the awards, which “honors the creative community for accurate portrayals of substance abuse, addiction and mental health in entertainment programming.”

“One Life to Live” beat out “Days of Our Lives” and sister soap “All My Children” in the category of Daytime Drama Series Storyline. While the “DAYS” storyline submitted was not listed on the official Prism Award website, “AMC” received a nod for its J.R. (Jacob Young) alcoholism storyline. “One Life ” won with its “Paying It Forward” storyline, which featured Cole Thornhart (Brandon Buddy) saving Hannah O’Connor’s (Meghann Fahy) life after she overdosed on pills last fall, and then proceeded to help her kick her drug habit.

“The Bold and the Beautiful” was given the organization’s Inaugural PRISM LUNGevity Award for accurate depictions of lung cancer, in recognition of Stephanie’s (Susan Flannery) battle with the deadly disease. According to a statement, “The new award was created in partnership with LUNGevity Foundation to encourage accurate depictions of lung cancer – its diagnosis, symptoms, effects, and treatment – in movies and television programs. In 2010, ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ introduced a continuing storyline dealing with the character of Stephanie who is diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, despite being a non-smoker, and is undergoing treatments.”

The awards will be handed out in a nationally televised ceremony on Sunday, September 25 at 4:00 pm ET on FX. The broadcast will then re-air on a number of other cable/satellite networks through Wednesday, September 28, and will be available on Video On-Demand through the end of October. Click here for a complete schedule and listing of winners in other television and film categories.

Heidi Gutman/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) – Brandon Buddy, who left “One Life to Live” in November 2010 shortly after a hacking controversy on Twitter, is now using the social network service again by seeking assistance from fans of Starr (Kristen Alderson) and Cole (Buddy) to get him back on the show.

You’ll recall it was last summer when the actor claimed his twitter account was hacked (revealing that fact nearly a week after the reported hacking took place) and he wasn’t leaving “One Life to Live” (even though he did anyway). Although this time no claims of a hacking have been reported, the actor is asking fans to help him return to the soap as it winds down so that he can “finish what I started.”

According to Buddy’s postings, which began on August 8, he states “I want/need everyone to send in your love for cole! I’m tired of sitting around. Get me back on the the show so I can finish what I started. I love my fans/friends let’s go!!! No more f**ging around!!!!!!!!! Ok!!! Let me think! I hope I don’t get in trouble for this! …..standby! : )”

The postings continued on August 9, when he said “I want starr and my hope back! My peeps are the best so let’s make it happen!!! Idk! Ill find out but it has to happen. Abc!!! Let’s go! I’m ready! So are the fans! Now I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the whole oltl thing because I guess its a lot more complicated then we think so…. But I still feel really strong about finishing what I started and get my girls back : ) I guess we just wait and see…”

Buddy previously stated back in April mere hours before the soap was canceled by ABC that he’d “love to come back.”

What do you think? Should Buddy return before “One Life to Live” signs off? What about Starr’s newfound relationship with James Ford (Nic Robuck)?

Sound Off! below

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — With his character Cole Thornhart serving a ten-year jail sentence for murdering a man and his on-screen mother Susan Haskell preparing to leave town, could Brandon Buddy be on his way back to Llanview?

You may recall that Buddy left the show last November after choosing not to renew his contract, following a much publicized Twitter hacking scandal. Now the actor takes to the social networking site again, this time to discuss the possibility of returning to “One Life to Live.

On April 13, Buddy tweeted a message to his fans, saying “As for going back to ‘OLTL’…. hmmm I’m not sure if it’s in my hands or not. I would love to come back for a little bit but only 4 all of u!”

Buddy played Cole, the son of Marty Saybrooke and the late Patrick Thornhart, from 2006-2010.

Kristen Alderson (Starr), Buddy’s former on-screen girlfriend recently tweeted in response to a question from a fan that “No, it was Brandon’s choice to leave [the show]…don’t feel sorry for him. =) It wasn’t ‘OLTL’s’ choice to not have him.”

On a related note, it appears that Cole’s deceased dad (Thorsten Kaye) may be returning to Llanview as well, since “One Life to Live” is currently casting a “Thorsten Kaye Body Double” for some upcoming scenes.

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — As previously reported, Brandon Buddy is departing ABC’s “One Life to Live” and now Soap Opera Network has learned the actor has finished taping his last scenes.

After months of rumors and speculation, ABC has finally confirmed that Buddy will be leaving the role of Cole Thornhart, son of Marty Saybrooke (Susan Haskell) and Patrick Thornhart (Thorsten Kaye), despite the actors June tweet that his account was hacked and that he was not leaving the soap.

According to sources, Buddy’s last tape date was late last week with his last airdate expected to be late October/early November. The role will not be recast as the character leaves Llanview alive, but leaves lady love Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson) and their child behind in Llanview.

Buddy made his acting debut on “One Life to Live” when he joined the cast of the drama series in October 2006. At this time is is unknown what the actor has planned for his post-”One Life” future.

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Anytime on ABC.com.

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — While reports were stating Brandon Buddy is set to exit ABC’s “One Life to Live” later this fall when his contract expires, Soap Opera Network was unable to confirm the news through proper channels, but sources have since confirmed that Buddy will in fact be leaving the soap in the coming months.

Since news of Buddy’s possible exit first broke on Daytime Confidential last week, Soap Opera Network has learned from insiders that Buddy’s exit was a “mutual agreement” between the soap and the actor. This development doesn’t come as a surprise as in June of this year Buddy’s Twitter account reported that he had chosen not to renew his contract with the drama series. While said post was later claimed to have been the workings of a hacker, it took four days for the actor to respond, which had some wondering if there was a hacker at all.

Buddy joined the cast of “One Life to Live” in October 2006 portraying the role of Cole Thornhart.

IN RELATED NEWS

While details are slowly coming through, Soap Opera Network is hearing that Farah Fath might be next to exit the drama series this fall. Fath joined the cast in October 2007 portraying the role of Gigi Morasco.

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Anytime on ABC.com.

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — First he has leaving, then he was staying after the actor stated that someone had hacked into his Twitter account. Well now Brandon Buddy really is leaving “One Life to Live,” according to published reports.

Daytime Confidential is reporting that they have learned from setside sources that the 24-year-old actor, who has portrayed Cole Thornhart since October 10, 2006, is leaving town “alive, but not exactly well” sometime this fall when his contract is up. According to an ABC representative, however, the network “does not comment on rumors.”

On Friday, June 18, the following comment was posted on his Twitter page: “It’s a bitter sweet day Today I decided I’m not going to re-sign. No more Llanview… Still lots to come from Starr & Cole though!” Only four days later Buddy tweeted that he “Had a hacker. Doing everything I can to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I’m sorry for upsetting everyone, what they said wasn’t true. I love you guys. I want you guys to be happy, I’m really sorry this happened.“

Despite Buddy’s denials at the time, if the reports are in fact true, it seems as though the original tweet was right all along and that the “hacker” claim were nothing more than an attempt by the powers that be at “One Life to Live” to push Buddy into doing some damage control. Not surprisingly, Buddy’s Twitter page has since become strangely silent regarding this latest development.

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Weeknights on SOAPnet. Anytime on ABC.com and SOAPnet.com. Check local listings.

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — News of the actor’s alleged departure from “One Life to Live” takes an odd and unexpected turn.

In a story first reported late last week by Soap Opera Network and a number of other media outlets, the following message appeared on Brandon Buddy‘s official Twitter page on June 18th: “It’s a bitter sweet day Today I decided I’m not going to re-sign. No more Llanview…”  The tweet was followed up later by another comment, assuring fans that there was ”Still lots to come from Starr & Cole though!”

However it now appears as if it was all part of an elaborate hoax from someone who apparently hacked into Buddy’s Twitter account.  Late Tuesday evening, both tweets had been deleted and Buddy informed his fans that he ”Had a hacker. Doing everything I can to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I’m sorry for upsetting everyone,what they said wasn’t true. I love you guys. I want you guys to be happy, I’m really sorry this happened.”

So at least for now anyway, it appears that Buddy, who joined the soap in October of 2006, will remain a part of the “One Life to Live” cast.  SON will continue to monitor this story and bring you updates as coditions warrant. 

Soap Opera Network will continue to follow this story and bring you further details as they develop.

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Weeknights on SOAPnet. Anytime on ABC.com and SOAPnet.com. Check local listings.

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Brandon Buddy decides not to renew his contract with “One Life to Live.”

In a message posted on the actor’s official Twitter page Friday evening, Buddy broke the news to his fans that “It’s a bitter sweet day Today I decided I’m not going to re-sign. No more Llanview…”

The 24-year-old Buddy joined “OLTL” as Cole Thornhart, the son of Marty Saybrook (Susan Haskell) and Patrick Thornhart (last played by Thorsten Kaye), on October 10, 2006.  A final airdate has not been determined, although he expected to air throughout the summer. It is unknown if the role will recast.

Soap Opera Network will continue to follow this story and bring you further details as they develop.

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Weeknights on SOAPnet. Anytime on ABC.com and SOAPnet.com. Check local listings.