Forget about the sun, BBQ flames and bikini-clad bodies: The one thing that will be heating up the most this summer is CBS’ “The Young and the Restless.” From shocking secrets, babydaddy drama, rip-roaring returns and more, the CBS sudser is pulling out all of the stops in the weeks to come — and Soap Opera Network spoke with several cast members to get the exciting scoop!

“The Young and the Restless’” Billy Abbot has seen quite a transformation in recent months. After portrayer Billy Miller decided to walk away from the show in January of this year, former portrayer David Tom was cast in the role. But just a few short months later, it was announced that Tom — who previously played the character from 1999 to 2002 — had been ordered to pack his bags so that daytime newcomer Burgess Jenkins could step into the role. And while it was Miller’s decision to leave the character he’d played since 2008, the same cannot be said for Tom, who was reportedly very surprised to learn he’d been replaced with Jenkins after just four months of being back in the role! So what happened to lead to such a quick casting turnaround? We asked CBS Vice President of Daytime, Angelica McDaniel, who told Soap Opera Network that the recast was not an easy turn of events for anyone involved.

The 41st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were something extra special for Jennifer Pepperman, the executive producer of Prospect Park’s online version of “One Life to Live.” The sudser was the first ever online show to be nominated for Outstanding Drama Series during the Daytime Emmy awards, a fact that actor Tuc Watkins (David Vickers, “OLTL”) was also celebrating.