Roger Howarth Returns to ‘One Life to Live’ for Sure This Time

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — "One Life to Live" is finally confirming what Soap Opera Network reported last summer (though due to scheduling conflicts and financials did not happen) that Roger Howarth is returning to the ABC soap this summer, though it isn't clear whether he'll be portraying the role of Todd Manning or the REAL Todd Manning.

Despite rumors of "One Life to Live's" pending cancellation, Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Howarth will begin filming scenes on the daytime drama beginning in May. "I am looking forward to returning," said Howarth to Digest. "We are going to have a lot of fun telling this story and I am excited to see how it will unfold." The story Howarth is referring to involves Tea's (Florencia Lozano) brother Tomas (Ted King) and his strange interest in Todd and his family. In fact, the show will continue to delve deeper into the storyline in the coming weeks, when it is revealed that both Todd and Tomas have each been keeping something very interesting tucked away in their private records.

"You thought the tease a couple weeks back with Tea  proclaiming this isn’t Todd as she pointed to a picture of Roger Howarth was not the start of something bigger? Think again," said a setside source back in late August when Soap Opera Network originally broke the news. Though we had been told Howarth would begin appearing on the soap as early as December or January, which has since come and gone, Soap Opera Network stuck by its guns and continued to stand by our report that Howarth was indeed returning. This was only reinforced by the shows' reference to Howarth as recent as February 11, 2011, when the show re-aired the wedding of Todd and Blair (Kassie DePaiva). After news broke earlier this evening, Kristen Alderson, who grew up on the show in the role of Starr Manning, tweeted to her 13,000 followers that "It's official!! Daddy's back!!!!!!!!! HUGE STUFF! #OLTL."

What does news of Howarth's return mean for Trevor St. John? It wouldn't be much of a stretch for the actor to have been playing an impostor after all this time as he originally joined the cast in May 2003 in the role of Walker Laurence, only to be revealed to be Todd Manning, albeit with plastic surgery, in August of that same year. "We are thrilled to have Roger return to 'One Life to Live,'" said Executive Producer Frank Valentini in the Digest report. "As 'OLTL' viewers know, Trevor St. John has been playing the role of Todd Manning since 2003. We have a great story planned that will involve both actors." The news of Howarth's return comes only weeks after we reported that it appeared as if St. John, whose contract with "One Life" expires this month, had decided to one-up with the show.

Since Howarth's last stint on "One Life to Live" in 2003, the actor moved on to CBS' now canceled "As The World Turns" in the role of Paul Ryan until the shows final episode on September 17, 2010.

A first airdate for Howarth has not been set.